downtown

1 of 2

adjective

down·​town ˌdau̇n-ˈtau̇n How to pronounce downtown (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or located in the lower part or business center of a city or town
2
: hip, trendy
downtown music
downtown adverb

downtown

2 of 2

noun

: the lower part of a city or town
also : the main business district or central part of a city or town
downtowner noun

Examples of downtown in a Sentence

Adjective the downtown clientele of this bistro come to be seen, and the food is only an afterthought
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The downtown Mexican restaurant, which opened on Blake Street in 1999 and moved to 1745 Wazee St. in 2022, is getting a slightly different name and menu. Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 27 June 2025 The Shark Tank had to be downtown, so downtown had to get bigger. Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
Then reserve a table at an Italian restaurant downtown for Saturday night, compile a list of sightseeing highlights for the city and email me my itinerary. Jay Bhatty, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Parking is free throughout downtown Arlington, but people should be aware of parking lot and street closures in the area. Alyssa Cooper, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for downtown

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downtown was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downtown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downtown. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

downtown

1 of 2 adverb
down·​town ˌdau̇n-ˈtau̇n How to pronounce downtown (audio)
: to, toward, or in the main business district

downtown

2 of 2 adjective
-ˌtau̇n
: situated downtown

More from Merriam-Webster on downtown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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