belittling

USAGE SUMMARY

"belittling" is a correct and commonly used word in written English.
It means to make someone or something seem unimportant or insignificant. Example: Sarah's boss has a habit of belittling her in front of her coworkers, causing her to feel devalued and humiliated.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Next week Le Pen, 86, will face a disciplinary hearing of the party's executive after a family rift in which Marine Le Pen denounced his inflammatory comments belittling the Holocaust and defended Marshal Pétain, the leader of France's Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime.

The Guardian

The rightwing press has Labour on the run and belittling its leader will soon become very nasty indeed.

The Guardian

"I think it's an important factor, it's not belittling them.

BBC

Le Pen senior, who co-founded the FN in 1972, was suspended from the party on Monday night over inflammatory comments he made belittling the Holocaust and lauding the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime.

The Guardian

Mr Darling was chancellor of the exchequer during the financial crisis an impossible, belittling job.

The Economist

He was killed last year for his views on the tragedy of 1915 and his effort to overcome the wall of hatred separating Armenians and Turks.Kerem Oktem OxfordSIR – I suspect that you would never have published a letter belittling actual historic events if the writer were questioning the Holocaust.

The Economist

In late September a video surfaced of Alan Jones, a Sydney radio "shock jock", belittling Ms Gillard's father, who had recently died, in a speech to the Liberal Club at the University of Sydney.

The Economist

But the government's growing number of media outlets, both broadcast and print, pump out an unremitting diet of pro-Chávez propaganda, belittling and even slandering opposition figures on a daily basis.

The Economist

On October 30th Rwanda's high court found her guilty of belittling the 1994 genocide as well as conspiring to harm the country through terrorism.Ms Ingabire was arrested during the election after visiting a memorial in the capital, Kigali, to the 800,000 Rwandans slaughtered in the genocide, most of them ethnic Tutsis while the vast majority of perpetrators were Hutus.

The Economist

Mr Gingrich, for example, delights his crowds by belittling Mr Romney as "little Food Stamp" next to Mr Obama's "big Food Stamp"; Mr Santorum calls him a "well-oiled weather-vane".All this prevents Mr Romney from following his preferred strategy.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Does the "beautification" of subjects belittle them?For me the goal is to get as many people as possible to pay attention and to stop what they are reading, to engage and to ask questions, so I don't think it has anything to do with belittling people.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "belittling" to accurately portray actions or attitudes that diminish the importance or value of something or someone. Ensure the context clearly supports the intent to make something seem less significant.

Common error

Avoid using "belittling" when a neutral or objective description is needed. "Belittling" carries a negative connotation, implying a deliberate attempt to diminish or demean. In objective contexts, opt for words like "assessing" or "evaluating" instead.

Linguistic Context

The term "belittling" functions as a present participle, often used to describe an action that is currently happening. It typically acts as an adjective modifying a noun or as part of a continuous verb tense, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Encyclopedias

7%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "belittling" is a present participle used to describe actions that diminish the importance or value of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used, especially in News & Media. The word carries a negative connotation, implying a deliberate attempt to make something seem less significant. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure the context warrants this negative portrayal. While alternatives like "disparaging" and "demeaning" exist, "belittling" accurately captures the essence of reducing perceived worth. Therefore, use "belittling" judiciously, and be mindful of its negative implications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disparaging

Focuses on expressing a negative opinion, subtly lowering the subject's esteem.

degrading

Implies a reduction in status or dignity, often through humiliation.

undermining

Highlights the act of weakening or destabilizing something, often in a subtle way.

minimizing

Emphasizes reducing the perceived importance or significance of something.

trivializing

Suggests treating something serious as if it were unimportant or insignificant.

demeaning

Focuses on actions that lower someone's dignity or respect.

deprecating

Implies expressing disapproval of or minimizing the value of something.

downplaying

Highlights efforts to make something seem less important than it actually is.

discounting

Suggests disregarding or reducing the importance of something.

derogating

Implies expressing a low opinion of someone or something; showing disrespect.

FAQs

How to use "belittling" in a sentence?

"Belittling" is often used to describe actions or words that make someone or something seem less important. For example, "The manager was criticized for "belittling his employees" in public."

What can I say instead of "belittling"?

You can use alternatives like "disparaging", "demeaning", or "trivializing" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "belittling" or "criticizing"?

"Belittling" implies a deliberate attempt to diminish or demean, while "criticizing" involves expressing disapproval or pointing out faults. The choice depends on whether the intent is to demean or simply to evaluate.

What's the difference between "belittling" and "underestimating"?

"Belittling" involves making something seem less important or significant, while "underestimating" means failing to recognize the true potential or value of something. They differ in focus: one is about diminishing perceived worth, the other about misjudging actual worth.