down-low
noun
Phrases
the down-low
: a state or condition of secrecy
—usually used in the phrase on the down-low
Alcindor was able to keep his drug use on the down-low, but Allen was not so lucky.—
Seth Davis
Seth DavisThe spot was called Houston's. Dimly lit, it was a restaurant on the down-low.—Sister Souljah
—abbreviation DL
Sister SouljahExamples of down-low in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Here are five takeaways about how the venue kept the concert on the down-low, what Kelly wore and the odds of an MGK tour.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, Travis and his new girlfriend Taylor are keeping things on the down-low.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 June 2025
Minahan reduces the period story to cosmetics rather than capturing the down-low essence of the pre-Stonewall era.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
Club 33 stays on the down-low with discreet rules and a dress code.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Liv arrived as the first bombshell of the season in episode one, stealing Rob only for him and Leah to keep their relationship going on the down-low.
—Arimeta Diop, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2024
Could the episode have worked slightly better if the production team had trusted us to make that connection — a rapper trying to keep his sexuality on the down-low before finding his personal truth — ourselves?
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, Travis and his new girlfriend Taylor are keeping things on the down-low.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 June 2025
Minahan reduces the period story to cosmetics rather than capturing the down-low essence of the pre-Stonewall era.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
Club 33 stays on the down-low with discreet rules and a dress code.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Liv arrived as the first bombshell of the season in episode one, stealing Rob only for him and Leah to keep their relationship going on the down-low.
—Arimeta Diop, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2024
Could the episode have worked slightly better if the production team had trusted us to make that connection — a rapper trying to keep his sexuality on the down-low before finding his personal truth — ourselves?
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Down-low.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down-low. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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