talk down
Speak with superiority
To talk down is to speak condescendingly, as if the listener were inferior or couldn't understand: Don't talk down to me—I know how it works.
Separately, to talk someone down is to calm them during a crisis or guide them through difficulty: She talked him down from the ledge.
You can also talk down a price through negotiation.
To make something seem unimportant
- demeanLower in standing
- disparageExpress low opinion of
- denigrateCriticize unfairly to harm
- diminishTo make smaller
deprecate · dismiss · trivialize · undermine · discredit · devalue · disrespect · mock
Free from agitation
- sootheGently ease discomfort
- reassureEase someone's doubts
- placateLessen someone's anger
- pacifyTo calm agitation
de-escalate · settle · defuse · ease · comfort · steady · stabilize · appease
Discuss to reach agreement
- persuadeCause to believe
- haggleDispute price persistently
- bargainFavorable purchase price
- lowballDeliberately understate cost
barter · wheel and deal · undercut · markdown · settle on · cut a deal · make an offer · price match
belittle
To make something seem unimportant
diminish · deprecate · dismiss · trivialize · undermine · discredit · devalue · disrespect · mock · ridicule
calm
Free from agitation
pacify · de-escalate · settle · defuse · ease · comfort · steady · stabilize · appease · mollify
negotiate
Discuss to reach agreement
lowball · barter · wheel and deal · undercut · markdown · settle on · cut a deal · make an offer · price match · counteroffer
discourage
Diminish someone's confidence
- condescendingpatronizing, disdainful, scornful, dismissive, belittling
- condescensionpatronizing, belittling, superiority, smugness, arrogance
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, malign, slander
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- peacemakingnegotiation, mediation, peace agreement, mediate, pacifying
- persuasion tacticscharm, butter up, flattery, flatter, coax