down 1 of 6

adverb

ˈdau̇n How to pronounce down (audio)
Definition of downnext
1
as in downward
toward or in a lower position the stairs went down to the basement

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2
as in away
from this or that place came down from New York for the weekend

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down

2 of 6

adjective

1
as in up
brought or having come to an end eight down and two to go

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2
as in lowered
directed down a down escalator

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3
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness feeling a bit down

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4
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body down with the flu

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5
as in off
not being in working order while my computer was down, I attended to some unfinished odds and ends lying about my cubicle

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6
as in great
slang of the very best kind a small jazz club that showcases some really down musicians

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down

3 of 6

noun (1)

as in fur
a soft airy substance or covering a comforter filled with goose down

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down

4 of 6

noun (2)

1
as in accident
something (as a situation or event) that is depressing lately it's been one down after another in my life

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2
as in grudge
chiefly British a lingering ill will towards a person for a real or imagined wrong I don't understand why she'd have such a down against me; we've never even spoken to each other!

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3
as in dislike
chiefly British a strong feeling of not liking or approving for years after the war her grandfather had an unshakable down on the Germans

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4
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude suffered with a psychological disorder in which she alternated between emotional ups and downs

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5
as in demise
a loss of status experienced the ups and downs of a career in showbiz

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down

5 of 6

noun (3)

as in prairie
usually downs plural a broad area of level or rolling treeless country hold a festival on the downs

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down

6 of 6

verb

1
as in to drop
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall downed his opponent with one stunning blow

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2
as in to swallow
to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat downing slices of pizza and guzzling bottles of soda

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3
as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote all attempts to ban indoor smoking had been downed by the town council

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of down
Adverb
Lake Mary’s Ronald Parkinson breaks up Sebastian Galeano’s fourth down pass to attempt Jordan Donahoo. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 The share of Republicans supporting the war was 69%, down from 77% in March. — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The decline coincides with a down day for the broader chip complex, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF down about 2%. — Kevin Stankiewicz,jeff Marks, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026 For a team that doesn't really have any superstars and doesn't have a true Ace on the roster (aside from maybe Luis Castillo, who is having a down year), this is a really impressive season for the team. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
Inevitably, a linebacker covers a running back on some downs, and forward-thinking offensive coordinators are increasingly seeing this as the go-to matchup in key spots, whether in the red zone or to generate an explosive play. — Ben Gretch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 If the answer to all these questions is a resounding yes then the Dolphins won’t suffer the ups and downs that come along with extended play for rookies. — Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
The drones were among 791 Ukrainian craft reported downed by the Russian Defense Ministry overnight. — David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 In about a week, the town has spent around $45,000 on storm cleanup, like clearing downed trees and brush. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down
  1. downward
  2. away
  3. up
  4. lowered
  5. depressed
  6. sick
  7. off
  8. great
Adverb
  • If unemployment for this group goes from, say, five per cent to ten per cent, their confidence in the job market, already rapidly trending downward, will dive toward a true bottom.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Early symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, Pennsylvania health officials said, and a rash follows a few days later, starting on the head and spreading downward.
    — Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of downward
Adverb
  • Although hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Alphabet continue to drive the bulk of AI deployment, investors worry that capital expenditures have expanded dramatically while full commercial monetization remains 6 to 9 months away.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Upgrades in recent years have not taken away the old-school feel of a venue that once hosted NFL exhibition games in the 1950s and ‘60s.
    — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of away
Adjective
  • Getting an up-close look at Ship, the company said, would shed light on how its heat shield held up during the flight — key information that could advance the development of Starship, which is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Japan and Brazil have sought to open up Apple's App Store business model, under which developers have long ​paid commissions of up ​to 30% on in-app purchases of digital goods and services.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of up
Adjective
  • This isn’t the first study to link acupuncture with lowered symptoms of depression.
    — Korin Miller, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Coupled with the lowered JumboTron, seating that surrounds the court gives it a more intimate look, and plays better on TV.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of lowered
Adjective
  • Traffic through the strait is beginning to increase, but remains sharply depressed.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Bessent, for one, said a key reason he got involved in politics was to help tackle deficits running at a pace unprecedented for times outside of major wars, pandemics or depressed job markets.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Hospital executives have begun reporting more unpaid medical bills, and experts warn health plans will raise premiums further as they're left with enrollees who are, on average, sicker and more expensive to cover.
    — Christine Mai-Duc, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026
  • When workers become sick, exhausted, or unable to work safely, productivity falls, disruptions increase, and supply chains become more vulnerable.
    — Lucy Siers, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sick
Adjective
  • The strangeness rests on the antique, out-of-time nature of the set dressing, but also in the slightly off color combinations Arnold and his team chose, and in the sense of things being hand-made, injecting the sense of A Presence into the space.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
  • There have been stretches of the season where scoring enough runs has felt impossible if Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber has an off day.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of off
Adjective
  • Rivera-Vega is suspected of setting the fire and also had been charged with arson causing great bodiliy injury before the woman died.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Starting the election calendar in South Carolina is intended in part to give Black voters a greater voice at the outset of the nominating process.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of great

Phrases Containing down

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dowers
down
down and dirty
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Cite this Entry

“Down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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