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
Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
Right away, you're smacked with basic environments that range from the painfully generic to downright ugly.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Historically, celebs turned up in reserved and muted evening-wear, but as more eyes have tuned into the red carpet, the fashions have become grander, bolder, and even downright iconic.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downright
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Adverb
Unlike her comic book counterpart, who frequently pressured Wilson to leave his criminal empire behind, Zurer’s portrayal of Vanessa has been complicit — and downright integral — to Kingpin’s operations.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
Right away, you're smacked with basic environments that range from the painfully generic to downright ugly.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
At all The middle distribution of Gen-Z’s feelings about AI range from apprehension to downright hatred.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Historically, celebs turned up in reserved and muted evening-wear, but as more eyes have tuned into the red carpet, the fashions have become grander, bolder, and even downright iconic.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 15 Mar. 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 18 Apr. 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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