talk down to
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To speak to another person in a demeaning or patronizing way.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Nói với người khác một cách coi thường hoặc bảo thủ
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “talk down to” mean?
To speak to another person in a demeaning or patronizing way.
Is “talk down to” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.