the downstairs
noun
: the lower and usually main floor of a building
The downstairs needs to be cleaned.
We painted the downstairs.
Examples of the downstairs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Winds ripped the porch off the front of the building, while water rushed into the downstairs, leaving Covaleski stuck on the second floor.
—
Maleena Muzio, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Especially for Sophie, who’s been living in the downstairs world, to get to have a dance lesson with a Bridgerton underneath the gazebo with all those flowers trellising down.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Additionally, showrunner Jess Brownell goes behind the veil of the upstairs newly to focus on the staffers of these elite homes (in the downstairs).
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
This is largely thanks to the character of Sophie, who provides a prism through which to view the downstairs operations and servant class in more detail.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Nearby is the downstairs bedroom.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
One of the downstairs lights in the house came on; dusk was setting in.
—Benjamin Markovits, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
That’s because the downstairs has not yet been remodeled and offers a stark contrast with bright lights and with row after row of consumer goods on shelves, many of them locked away behind anti-shoplifting doors.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 8 Dec. 2025
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Maleena Muzio, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Especially for Sophie, who’s been living in the downstairs world, to get to have a dance lesson with a Bridgerton underneath the gazebo with all those flowers trellising down.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Additionally, showrunner Jess Brownell goes behind the veil of the upstairs newly to focus on the staffers of these elite homes (in the downstairs).
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
This is largely thanks to the character of Sophie, who provides a prism through which to view the downstairs operations and servant class in more detail.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Nearby is the downstairs bedroom.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
One of the downstairs lights in the house came on; dusk was setting in.
—Benjamin Markovits, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2025
That’s because the downstairs has not yet been remodeled and offers a stark contrast with bright lights and with row after row of consumer goods on shelves, many of them locked away behind anti-shoplifting doors.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“The downstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20downstairs. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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