down·right
ˈdau̇n-ˌrīt 
1
archaic
: straight down
2
: absolutely sense 1a
downright handsome
downright mean
3
obsolete
: forthright
Synonyms of downright
Examples of downright in a Sentence
Adverb
The movie was downright stupid.
It's very difficult, if not downright impossible.
Adjective
rural folks are often known for their downright speech, as they are generally not ones to beat around the bush
that's a downright lie, and you know it
Recent Examples on the Web
Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Granny prints—oversized florals in dark or even downright ugly colors—have been popping up everywhere.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 14 Feb. 2026
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Fatherhood can range from attentive and caring to downright violent behaviors—but why this spectrum exists remains largely a mystery to evolutionary biologists.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downright
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Adverb
With a medley of Michael Jackson hits playing, Petrosian — competing as a neutral athlete — whipped through her double axel, landed a triple lutz and capped the performance with a triple flip-triple toe loop that seemed downright effortless.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Granny prints—oversized florals in dark or even downright ugly colors—have been popping up everywhere.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Online, true crime fanatics have parsed through information about the case — filling in the limited details with rumor, innuendo and sometimes downright conspiracy.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Fatherhood can range from attentive and caring to downright violent behaviors—but why this spectrum exists remains largely a mystery to evolutionary biologists.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downright
Cite this Entry
“Downright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downright. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downright
1 of 2 adverb
down·right
-ˌrīt
: in a complete and absolute manner
that was downright stupid
downright
2 of 2 adjective1
: absolute sense 3, utter
a downright lie
downrightly
adverb
downrightness
noun
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