(v. t.) To make little or less in a moral sense; to speak of in a depreciatory or contemptuous way.
Example Sentences:
(1) Harping on endlessly about a woman’s hair, legs and handbag instead of her ideas and achievements can be horribly belittling, a way of refusing to take her seriously as a professional.
(2) This is a dangerous moment for politics in Britain: it is not the moment to ignore or belittle the angry cry from voters telling us they are deeply sick of politics as usual.
(3) The more they feel insulted and belittled, the stronger their support for Corbyn.
(4) Comment is perfectly legitimate, but the sneering, supercilious, specious and dismissive contributions masquerading as ‘commentary’ belittle the claims of a ‘quality’ paper.” Before attempting to assess the validity of the reader’s analysis – broadly shared by some other readers – I think his email reflects one or two other interesting aspects of the demographics of the Guardian’s readership and the left.
(5) It happens within a society where we repeatedly hear victims dismissed, belittled and disbelieved at best, or, at worst,blamed for their own assaults.
(6) Perhaps Gove should attend some history lessons taught by the professionals he so belittles so that he can learn how to read and cite sources properly.
(7) That is not to belittle HIV – it is a life-changing condition, and some of the treatments have their side-effects – but, as HIV expert Prof Jonathan Weber put it to me, the treatment regimens developed in the mid-1990s are “so successful it’s like a miracle”.
(8) They had a candidate with pro-Putin, pro-Russian views who belittled Nato, who was willing to potentially remove sanctions on Russia and by contrast they had in Secretary Clinton a candidate very tough on Russia.
(9) Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said: "I regret the Australian PM statement belittling the phone-tapping in Indonesia without feeling guilty.
(10) The eccentric, gonzo-ish path that Vice has chosen to pursue instead has itself come in for sharp criticism from detractors among those he belittles as football-chasers.
(11) Modotti, Ollin and, to a lesser degree, Novo (who was ultimately a man and therefore less irritating to those in power), were cast aside and belittled by those who had it in their power to do so.
(12) He reacted angrily to a question about his father’s comments to the Guardian, claiming words were put in his mouth and accusing the media of trying to belittle the closure.
(13) The last Labour government sometimes appeared to belittle the concerns of those who were fearful of the pace of change, or longed for stability or order."
(14) It is acceptable to criticise and belittle Islam because it is a religion, not an ethnic grouping – and therefore fair game.
(15) "People belittled me, implying that it was my fault and that I shouldn't be an independent woman," she added.
(16) In 2010 Lula came under fire after belittling the plight of political prisoners on hunger strike in Cuba. "
(17) What strikes me, as it must have done him, is the way in which the intention behind the article – to belittle the food bank initiative – was turned on its head by the social media backlash.
(18) With no intention of belittling the importance of chronic ischemic heart disease (CIHD) in modern cardiology, the article focuses the attention on primary alcoholic heart disease--alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACMP)--which arouses a far from causal interest due to the prevalence of alcoholism.
(19) In treating Plath as simply an object of sympathy, I suspect I have belittled her.
(20) Demirtas has been the target of fierce campaign attacks by Erdogan, who belittled him a “pretty boy” who is merely a front for the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Disrespect
Definition:
(n.) Want of respect or reverence; disesteem; incivility; discourtesy.
(v. t.) To show disrespect to.
Example Sentences:
(1) "The disrespect embodied in these apparent mass violations of the law is part of a larger pattern of seeming indifference to the constitution that is deeply troubling to millions of Americans in both political parties," he said.
(2) He was accused of disrespecting the FA Cup with such a weakened team but he mounted a strong defence, referencing the club’s seven injuries that have left him with only 13 fit senior outfield players.
(3) The LMA exacerbated the issue on Thursday night with a statement of its own, in which Mackay apologised for sending texts that “were disrespectful to other cultures” but he “was letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter”.
(4) The result was his interview on Thursday in which he insisted he meant no “disrespect” to Obama, backed a two-state solution, and saw the US as Israel’s most important ally – the last of which at least is certainly heartfelt.
(5) The Ulster Unionist party leader, Mike Nesbitt, said: "Anyone who attacks a police officer, anyone who riots, anyone who engages in illegal street protest, is disrespecting the values of the union flag.
(6) It tends only to take being involved in one of these sessions for a member of the group's shame awareness to be activated and for him to begin to read escalations earlier and more accurately in real time, which renders shame and disrespect less threatening, which gives him the confidence and the skills to begin to work differently with his fight-or-flight response.
(7) Our response was far too defensive and worse, disrespectful of parliament."
(8) Republicans in Congress accused him of disrespect to female colleagues.
(9) Someone who disrespects you like that.” On his website, Habré called Zidane a “nymphomaniac prostitute” after hearing her testimony.
(10) If he travels there and then something happens that appears to be disrespectful to Xi Jinping that could play very badly in the domestic politics here.” Trump’s shock election sparked fears that US-China relations were entering a new era of confrontation .
(11) As a cabinet minister, it's unacceptable for someone of his standing to use such disrespectful and abusive language to a police constable, let alone anyone else.
(12) They were disrespectful.” The town did eventually adopt new regulations in early 2013 imposing some restrictions on fracking.
(13) Stephen O’Brien, the UN’s most senior humanitarian official, said he was horrified by the total disrespect for civilian life in the conflict, which has killed at least 250,000 people and maimed up to four times that number.
(14) He responded with concern: was I being disrespectful to Mandela?
(15) On Monday, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, one of 17 Republican candidates and four sitting governors , ended a state contract for Medicaid funding to the group on Monday, saying Planned Parenthood showed a “ fundamental disrespect for human life ”.
(16) Do the Swedes oppose liberty, do the Spanish believe in mutual disrespect?
(17) Ferrero: “I meant no disrespect to Mr Thohir, Inter’s directors or the people of the Philippines – with whom I have a wonderful rapport.” Legal news Croatia: Dinamo Zagreb president Zdravko Mamic fined €17,000 for defaming lawyer Ivica Crnic during a 2013 tribunal.
(18) A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: “On the very last day of the assembly, Leighton Andrews has shown a disrespect for parties and individual AMs seeking to create a consensus across political divides.
(19) EDO Queensland’s principal solicitor, Jo Bragg, whose office has run a separate case challenging the Adani project in the Queensland land court, said this was “pretty incredible” and showed “grave disrespect for environmental laws in Australia”.
(20) Sven Giegold, a German Green MEP, called Varoufakis “populist and disrespectful” in an open letter .