make (one) feel small

To make one feel insignificant, unimportant, or unintelligent. I always despised the way she made me feel small while we were married. The teacher had a nasty habit of making his students feel very small if they gave an incorrect answer in class.

make someone feel small

If someone makes you feel small, they deliberately say or do something which makes you feel stupid, especially in front of other people. I felt she was trying to make me feel small because that's the only way she knew to make herself feel better. When your children misbehave, tell them without making them feel small.