1
as in ridiculing
to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter
nowadays the aging activist is routinely shot down in most quarters of the media and dismissed as an irrelevant crank
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismissing
to reject by or as if by a vote
every one of my fund-raising ideas was shot down by the other club members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in refuting
to prove to be false
the results of several studies shoot down the hypothesis that coffee causes heart attacks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shooting down
Poland's military reported shooting down multiple unidentified aerial vehicles (UAVs) early on September 10, following what officials described as a violation of national airspace.
—
Amanda Castro
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Despite shooting down any suggestions of infidelity, she’s continued to field the questions and comments, responding politely to the seemingly never-ending queries.
—Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Taylor quipped, referencing Kylie shooting down a drunken idea of Jason's.
—Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Amanda Castro
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Despite shooting down any suggestions of infidelity, she’s continued to field the questions and comments, responding politely to the seemingly never-ending queries.
—Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Taylor quipped, referencing Kylie shooting down a drunken idea of Jason's.
—Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shooting down
Verb
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At times, Phillips’ dialogue seems to be ridiculing his screenplay’s own improbability and sloppy logic gaps, as well as the genre itself.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
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The post was met with accounts celebrating the withdrawal and ridiculing past decisions.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes,
11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The panel, which Kennedy reshaped earlier this year by dismissing its members and appointing some vaccine skeptics, will convene Thursday and Friday in Atlanta.—
Adeola Adeosun
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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An Arizona inmate tricked court officials into releasing him more than two decades early by filing fake orders allegedly dismissing his charges.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On Friday, Swift’s lawyer stepped into the fray to set the record straight, refuting the claim that his client had agreed to answer questions under oath.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
12 Sep. 2025
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Days after the hearing, the leader of the Pentagon's office to investigate UFOs provided testimony of his own refuting some of the claims.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Student accused of mocking Charlie Kirk death Camryn Giselle Booker, a student at Texas Tech University, was arrested on charges of assault after an altercation with students mourning the death of Charlie Kirk.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon is seeking to identify and potentially discipline anyone who has made posts celebrating or mocking Kirk’s death.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Europe experienced its most extensive flooding since 2013, Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic floods to parts of the US, killing at least 230 people, and extensive flooding in West and Central Africa led to around 1,500 deaths.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
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Eight-year-old Retal was severely injured when her home in Gaza City's al Zeitoun neighborhood was hit by shelling on July 5, 2025, killing her brother Karam, 12, and sister Judy, 10.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This consistency, Nassau argues, shields founders from the reputational hit of a prior lead refusing to participate in follow-ons.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries say they are united in refusing to back any spending measure that does not include key health care protections and commitments not to roll them back.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shooting down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shooting%20down. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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