How to Use put-down in a Sentence

put-down

1 of 2 noun
  • The petty put-downs were sharper on Palm Royale.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • Many of them are amusing enough to get chuckles and the odd big laugh but a little more wit amongst the throwaway put-downs would have been welcome.
    — Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The series combines potty-mouthed put-downs with more sentimental story lines.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • Sadly, that period ended with the closure of newspapers, the violent put-down of protests and the arrest of more than a thousand along with many deaths.
    — Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 May 2026
  • When Marilyn Walker was a little girl, her grandmother introduced her to sarcasm through genteel put-downs that sounded sweet but weren’t.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Crockett, a representative from a deep-blue district that includes much of Dallas, has attained fame with snappy put-downs of Republicans, many of which have gone viral on social media.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Watch a season of the Y2K reality juggernaut and the tone will vacillate wildly between cringe-worthy put-downs via Janice Dickinson, cringier photoshoots, feel-good runway lessons with Miss J, and body positivity monologues from Tyra Banks.
    — Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026

put down

2 of 2 verb
  • Spread out, put down their cans.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Were there any limits put down?
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
  • In the meantime, put down your damn phones.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
  • So put down that cheesecake and come in from the lanai.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The salt that is put down doesn't stay where it is applied.
    — Cutter Martin, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Stephenson chose to move here, put down roots and make his mark.
    — Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2024
  • Spot checks showed that the younger crowd can still put down their phones and hit stores.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
  • That means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Cameron said getting away for time alone and putting down the phone helps.
    — ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • But, the major fail comes from not putting down a top coat of epoxy.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
  • Fish and Game are aware, and yes, if caught it will be put down.
    — Megan Pacer, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Apr. 2023
  • The big push was to put down flags and footprints, not build a base.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • So put down those phones and enjoy the moment.
    — Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 10 Oct. 2025
  • John put down the glasses and picked up the hairbrush.
    — Lizz Schumer, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • This dull and disposable film is a beast that needs to be put down.
    — Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 10 Aug. 2023
  • This dull and disposable film is a beast that needs to be put down.
    — Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 31 Aug. 2023
  • This dull and disposable film is a beast that needs to be put down.
    — Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 27 July 2023
  • This dull and disposable film is a beast that needs to be put down.
    — Dallasnews.com Staff, Dallas News, 6 July 2023
  • At one point, she was asked to put down the sides and improvise.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 May 2025
  • That is what trade diplomacy can look like when the log is put down.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 26 May 2026
  • But the law requires you to put down the phone once the car is moving again.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 June 2025
  • The video shows both girls putting down their backpacks at roughly the same time.
    — Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The soldiers brought in to put down the protests were drawing new ones around them.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 11 June 2025
  • Where are members of Gen Z putting down roots?
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Phones were put down, laptops closed, heads looked up, and eye contact was made.
    — Melissa Daimler, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Dubois could have wilted early on when he was put down in the first and the third.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 9 May 2026
  • Gilbert was badly wounded in the attack and had to be put down.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
  • When the timer goes off, put down your cleaning tools because your work is done for the day.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026
  • When the timer goes off, put down your cleaning tools because your work is done for the day.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
  • When the timer goes off, put down your cleaning tools because your work is done for the day.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'put-down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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