| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold in contempt; look down on |
| Synonyms: | abhor, avoid, be above, confute, consider beneath one, contemn, defy, deride, despise, disdain, disregard, flout, gibe, hate, ignore, make fun of, mock, put down, refuse, refute, reject, renounce, repudiate, ridicule, run down, scoff at, shun, slight, sneer, spurn, taunt, trash*, turn back on, turn nose up at |
| Antonyms: | admire, approve, like, love |
| Main Entry: | belittle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | detract |
| Synonyms: | bad-mouth, blister, criticize, cut down to size, cut to the quick, decry, deprecate, depreciate, deride, derogate, diminish, discount, discredit, disparage, dispraise, downgrade, downplay, dump on, knock*, lower, minimize, pan, pooh pooh, poor mouth, put down, rip*, roast, run down, scoff at, scorch*, scorn, shoot down, shoot full of holes, slam*, smear, sneer at, sour grapes, squash, squelch, take a swipe at, take down, take down a peg, tear down, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, write off |
| Antonyms: | build up, exaggerate, praise, value |
| Main Entry: | brush aside/brush off |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | ignore; refuse |
| Synonyms: | boycott, cold-shoulder, contradict, cut, deny, disclaim, dismiss, disown, disregard, get rid of, have no time for, ostracize, override, rebuff, reject, repudiate, scorn, send away, slight, snub, spurn, sweep aside |
| Antonyms: | attend, pay attention, see |
| Main Entry: | confront |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | challenge |
| Synonyms: | accost, affront, beard, brave, call one's bluff, come up against, dare, defy, encounter, face down, face up to, face with, flout, front, go one-on-one, go up against, make my day, meet, meet eyeball-to-eyeball, oppose, repel, resist, scorn, stand up to, tell off, withstand |
| Antonyms: | back down |
| Main Entry: | dare |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | challenge, defy someone |
| Synonyms: | beard, brave, bully, call one's bluff, confront, cope, denounce, disregard, face, face off, front, goad, insult, knock chip off shoulder, laugh at, make my day, meet, mock, muster courage, oppose, outdare, provoke, resist, run the gauntlet, scorn, spurn, square off, step over the line, take one on, taunt, threaten, throw down gauntlet |
| Main Entry: | defy |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | challenge, frustrate |
| Synonyms: | baffle, beard, brave, confront, contemn, dare, defeat, deride, despise, disregard, elude, face, flout, fly in face of, foil, front, gibe, hang tough, hurl defiance at, ignore, insult, make my day, mock, oppose, outdare, provoke, repel, repulse, resist, ridicule, scorn, slight, spurn, stick fast, stick*, take one on, thwart, venture, violate, withstand |
| Antonyms: | give in, obey, surrender, yield |
| Main Entry: | demean |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | humble, humiliate |
| Synonyms: | abase, bad-mouth, belittle, bemean, cast down, contemn, cut down to size, cut rate, debase, decry, degrade, derogate, descend, despise, detract, dis, disparage, dump on, knock down, lower, pan, poor-mouth, scorn, sink, stoop |
| Antonyms: | boost, enhance, improve, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | depreciate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | belittle, ridicule |
| Synonyms: | abuse, asperse, attack, calumniate, censure, clamor against, condemn, contemn, decry, defame, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, deride, derogate, detract, discount, discountenance, discredit, disgrace, disparage, dispraise, fault, find fault with, humble, knock, look down on, lower, malign, minimize, put down, rap, revile, roast, run down, scoff at, scorn, slam, slander, slight, slur, smear, sneer at, spurn, take down a peg, traduce, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify |
| Antonyms: | approve, commend, compliment, exalt, laud, praise, recommend |
| Main Entry: | depress |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deject, make despondent; exhaust |
| Synonyms: | abase, afflict, ail, bear down, beat, beat down, bother, bug*, bum out, cast down, chill*, cow*, damp, dampen, darken, daunt, debase, debilitate, degrade, desolate, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, distress, disturb, drag*, drain, dull, enervate, faze, keep under, lower, mock, mortify, oppress, perturb, press, put down*, reduce, reduce to tears, run down, sadden, sap*, scorn, slow, throw cold water on, torment, trouble, try, turn one off, upset, weaken, weary, weigh down |
| Antonyms: | cheer, comfort, encourage, excite, lift, make happy, stimulate |