downtalk

D2O1W4N1T1A1L1K5

verb

To speak in a condescending or belittling way or manner, making someone or something seem less important or less intelligent.

Scrabble 16
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Meanings

verbdowntalk (third-person singular simple present downtalks, present participle downtalking, simple past and past participle downtalked)

present singular third person downtalks · participle present downtalking · participle past downtalked · past downtalked

  1. idiomaticinformalintransitivetransitiveTo speak in a condescending or belittling way or manner, making someone or something seem less important or less intelligent.
  2. idiomaticinformaltransitiveTo criticize or minimize something by speaking in this way or manner.

Origin

From down + talk.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

talkdown
Cite this entry
APA

downtalk. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downtalk

MLA

“downtalk.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downtalk. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “downtalk,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/downtalk.

Source: downtalk on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.