downright

1 of 2

adverb

down·​right ˈdau̇n-ˌrīt How to pronounce downright (audio)
1
archaic : straight down
2
: absolutely sense 1a
downright handsome
downright mean
3
obsolete : forthright

downright

2 of 2

adjective

1
archaic : directed vertically downward
2
: outright, thorough
a downright lie
3
: plain, blunt
stories he had heard of her downright tongueAngus Wilson
downrightly adverb
downrightness noun

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
Adverb
Hosts who violate the security cam ban could have their properties removed from Airbnb. Cryptocurrency firm Binance’s troubles have gone from bad to downright scary. Dell Cameron Andrew Couts, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 And the way one passenger described what happened to Reuters is downright horrifying: The plane, unannounced, just dropped. Collin Woodard / Jalopnik, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 That they’re allowed to be not just imperfect but downright deranged is a sign of how far things have come. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 All of it is concerning and, frankly, downright depressing. Jodie Valade, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 For a start, Apple’s whole approach to DMA compliance—the very thing Sweeney was loudly protesting—has been downright petulant. David Meyer, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 In the cradle of Latino political power, rivalries are downright biblical. Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 While the allure of conspiracy theories may be undeniable, their impact can be downright dangerous, unraveling the fabric of public health, social unity and political stability. Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 In fact, in some cases, people with significant health issues may need doses of vitamin D that would be downright dangerous for the average person to consume. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
While some of these complaints will mention downright fraudulent behavior, French points out that the industry’s problems start with its structure. Kyle Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 Plenty of other fans on social media were distraught over Hurts' decision to ditch his goatee, commenting everything from downright outrage to simply strings of crying emojis. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 The Hogan recruitment served as a capstone to months of quiet success for Mr. Daines and Senate Republicans, after more than a decade filled with recruiting disappointments, misfires and downright self-sabotage. Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Hero Cosmetics Mighty Pimple Patches These pimple patches are a downright necessity in our house. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 Voters express pessimism, if not downright anger, at the way things are going in the country — citing immigration as their top concern — and nearly half rate the economy as poor. Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2024 Suggesting that Taylor Swift’s romance with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce is part of some kind of government plan to get Joe Biden reelected — a right-wing conspiracy theory that, like most of them, is grounded in fear, ignorance and downright stupidity — is nuts. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 31 Jan. 2024 And considering the portion sizes and the great fresh quality of the meats and cheese, that's a downright steal. Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 29 Jan. 2024 Giving him the ball is a downright foolproof formula. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downright.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downright was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near downright

Cite this Entry

“Downright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downright. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

downright

1 of 2 adverb
down·​right -ˌrīt How to pronounce downright (audio)
: in a complete and absolute manner
that was downright stupid

downright

2 of 2 adjective
1
: absolute sense 3, utter
a downright lie
2
: outspoken, blunt
downright country people
downrightly adverb
downrightness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on downright

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