downer

noun

down·​er ˈdau̇-nər 

plural downers

1

: a depressant drug

especially : barbiturate

… would often take the stage stoned on downers or high on acid …

—Peter Keough

Suppressant drugs, referred to as "downers", help create feelings of relaxation and tiredness rather than the high that people get from taking "uppers" …

—Izzy Lyons

2

: someone or something depressing, disagreeable, or unsatisfactory

Rain, biting insects, and soggy ground are other downers that keep me under cover.

—Norman Strung

Losing in their conference tournaments was a major downer for the NC State and East Carolina baseball teams.

—Brett Friedlander

3

: a weak, sick, or lame domesticated animal (such as a cow or pig) that is down and cannot get up

… the USDA last week instituted a series of measures to reassure consumers that American beef is safe, including a ban on the slaughter of cattle too sick or injured to walk, called downers, for human food.

—Cathy Booth Thomas

—often used before another noun

a downer cow

Synonyms of downer

• accident
• bore
• down
• bummer

Examples of downer in a Sentence

I took some downers to help me sleep.

“His cat just died.” “Oh, that's a real downer.”

Our conversation about death was a bit of a downer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Is that a downer or just being a realist? —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2026

That’s evident in dating apps becoming a downer for Gen Z, who would rather meet people in real life, and studies showing the generation actually does like to work in person after all. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026

That said, the circumstances surrounding the departure of franchise icon Carlson, coupled with Washington’s previously stated wishes to add a top-six winger, make the day a bit of a downer. —The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026

In short, Bart’s kind of a downer. —Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for downer

• browner
• towner

Kids Definition

downer

noun

down·​er ˈdau̇n-ər 

1

: a depressant drug

especially : barbiturate

2

: something that is depressing, disagreeable, or unsatisfactory

Medical Definition

downer

noun

down·​er ˈdau̇-nər 

: a depressant drug

especially : barbiturate