Synonyms of belittle
40 similar words · 11 opposite words
Another word for belittle is minimize. Other synonyms of belittle are reduce, de-emphasize, underestimate, downplay and understate. The opposite of belittle is exaggerate.
Synonyms and similar words for belittle
verbTo disparage, depreciate, or minimize the importance, value, merit, or significance of someone or...
- understateTo state (something) with less completeness than needed; to minimise or downplay.
- make light ofTo regard without due seriousness; to joke about.
- denigrateTo treat as worthless; belittle, degrade or disparage.
- degrade
- deprecateTo belittle, depreciate.
- disparageTo dishonor by a comparison with what is inferior; to lower in rank or estimation by actions or words; to speak...
- downplayTo de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
- play downTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
- trivializeTo make something appear trivial.
- bagatellizeTo regard as a bagatelle; to play down, trivialize or belittle.
- abaseTo lower physically; to depress; to cast or throw down; to stoop.
- banalizeTo make banal or commonplace.
- cut downTo insult, to belittle.
- de-emphasizeTo remove or reduce the emphasis from something; to make something less important; to play down.
- derogateTo detract from (something); to disparage, belittle.
- dispraiseTo notice with disapprobation or some degree of censure; to disparage, to criticize.
- lilliputianizeTo make small or petty.
- make little ofTo belittle.
- make nothing ofTo consider as trifling or unimportant.
- minimizeTo make (something) smaller or as small as possible; shrink; reduce.
- superficializeTo render superficial; to trivialize.
- underestimateTo perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually is.
- underplayTo make something seem less important than it really is.
- set at nought archaicTo treat as unimportant or worthless; to despise, disregard, defy, unheed.
- vilipend dated, formalTo treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.
verbTo make small.
- besmallTo make small; (figurative) to make as though small.
- smallifyTo make small or less significant.
- abate
- bring downTo reduce.
- cut
- decrease
- decrementTo decrease a value by a basic quantity unit.
- diminish
- foreshortenTo abridge, reduce, contract.
- lessen
- lower
- minceTo lessen; to diminish; to diminish in speaking; to speak of lightly or slightingly; to minimise.
- reduceTo bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.
- shrink
- embase obsolete
Opposite of belittle
verbTo disparage, depreciate, or minimize the importance, value, merit, or significance of someone or...
- big up
- exaggerateTo overstate, to describe more than the fact.
- overdo
- overemphasizeTo place too much emphasis on; to overstate the importance of.
- overstate
- play up
- stretch figuratively
- three-sheetTo exaggerate, hype up, or show off.
- cut it fat UK, obsoleteTo exaggerate or show off.
- hyperbolize archaic
- overcharge dated
Meaning of belittle
- verb To disparage, depreciate, or minimize the importance, value, merit, or significance of someone or something.
- verb To make small.
belittle in other languages
Questions about synonyms of belittle
- What is another word for belittle?
- Belittle has 40 synonyms on Word.ws, such as minimize, reduce, de-emphasize, underestimate, downplay, understate, trivialize and denigrate.
- What is the opposite of belittle?
- The opposite of belittle is exaggerate. Other antonyms of belittle are three-sheet and overemphasize.
- What does belittle mean?
- Belittle means to disparage, depreciate, or minimize the importance, value, merit, or significance of someone or something.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: belittle (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of belittle.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/belittle. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.