talk down
To calm someone who is very upset or in danger by talking to them, or to get someone to lower their price.
Meanings
To calm someone who is in a state of crisis or danger by speaking to them.
"The police negotiator spent two hours talking the man down from the rooftop."
To persuade someone to lower a price in a negotiation.
"She managed to talk the dealer down by £500 on the asking price."
To disparage or speak negatively about something, reducing its perceived value.
"Stop talking down the project — the team worked really hard on it."
The crisis intervention sense is common in journalism and dramatic contexts ('talked down from a ledge'). The negotiating sense ('talk the price down') is common in business and consumer contexts. Distinct from 'talk down to,' which implies condescension.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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