cut down to size
Reduce excessive pride
To cut someone down to size is to deflate their ego or reduce their self-importance, usually by criticism or humiliation.
The phrase suggests someone has grown too big for their station and needs correction: The new boss was arrogant until the staff cut him down to size.
Sometimes used reflexively when reality delivers the humbling.
Unassuming about oneself
- deflateRelease air from
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- embarrassCause social discomfort
- shamePainful awareness of failure
mortify · chasten · put in place · rebuke · scold · reprimand · admonish · chastise
Make smaller in degree
- minimizeReduce to smallest extent
- downsizeReduce scale or staff
- shrinkDecrease in size
- lessenReduce in degree
trim · curtail · downgrade · downplay · de-emphasize · trivialize · marginalize · undercut
humble
Unassuming about oneself
shame · mortify · chasten · put in place · rebuke · scold · reprimand · admonish · chastise · upbraid
reduce
Make smaller in degree
lessen · trim · curtail · downgrade · downplay · de-emphasize · trivialize · marginalize · undercut · undermine
cut down to sizepuff up
Inflate or swell
big up · build up · pump up · put on a pedestal · gas up
cut down to sizeflatter
Praise to please
butter up · fawn over · sweet-talk · suck up to · kiss up to
cut down to sizeput on a pedestal
Idealize beyond reason
lionize · aggrandize · glorify · exalt · elevate
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