down 1 of 6

Definition of downnext
1
as in downward
toward or in a lower position the stairs went down to the basement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

down

2 of 6

adjective

1
2
as in lowered
directed down a down escalator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness feeling a bit down

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
6

down

3 of 6

noun (1)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

down

5 of 6

noun (3)

down

6 of 6

verb

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
Maria grew up in Delft’s Market Square, a few doors down from the inn that the Vermeer family owned. Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 The result of that supply/demand imbalance best explains tin’s 64% rise over the last 12 months from around $33,000/t to last trades on the London Metal Exchange $54,185/t, down slightly on the record price of earlier this month. Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
Kelce, who will turn 37 years old in the middle of the season, is looking to rebound from a bit of a down season. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026 From 2019 to 2024, that gain averaged twenty-three per cent, with no down years. Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Noun
Plus, the liner is easy to de-gunk after trips with soap and water (or a good hose-down). Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026 The Tar Heels went three-up, three-down in the sixth, but the next inning Gallaher and his teammates were having a jolly time on a clear and cool evening at Charles Schwab Field. Eric Olson, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Verb
Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 123 Ukrainian drones overnight. Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026 Please send your reports of hail or wind damage, including trees or large limbs downed, by calling the National Weather Service office in Wilmington at 1 800 697 3901. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down
Adverb
  • In another, a Pullman maid is bent over, hard at work, with her hair swept back into a ponytail, her gaze pointed downward and focused on the task at hand.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
  • The best incense holder is the Spacekeeper Waterfall Incense Burner, which is made of ceramic and directs the smoke downward in a cascade-like fashion.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Adverb
  • As its name suggests, atom lithography does away with light altogether and instead uses physical matter—atoms—to print tiny patterns onto silicon chips.
    Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
  • Rhaenyra will not only have to contend with the death of yet another child, but also that same child’s decision to betray her and lock her away in a room.
    Matt Minton, Variety, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Likewise, despite the filmmakers’ best efforts, there’s still a few uncanny valleys to be crossed, notably in the up-close, full-body fighting sequences, which remind us how much VFX isn’t quite there yet.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 June 2026
  • Kone eventually gave a thumb's up signal to the crowd and sat up as he was being taken off.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • The beat comes on lowered expectations, after the company gave disappointing guidance in February that fell short of analyst estimates.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 2 June 2026
  • For video, the Avata 360 supports a standard color profile with the same naturally vibrant tones as its JPGs, or a 10-bit flat D-Log M profile with lowered contrast and saturation.
    Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • New-home construction tumbled, then stayed depressed for over a decade.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • These figures mark a clear increase from depressed crossing rates seen during much of the Iran war since its start in late February.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 June 2026
  • Preventing infestation Just because one calf is sick doesn’t mean the entire herd will get it, Cammack said.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • On off days in the villa, the boys and girls would alternate every other week to split the responsibility.
    Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
  • All six runs in the game came off homers, with Texas' Joc Pederson delivering a two-run shot in the third off rookie Mike Paredes.
    CBS News, CBS News, 16 June 2026
Adjective
  • This should be an excellent match against a South Korean side that also has a victory after its comeback last week to beat Czechia.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026
  • Come for that convenience, and stay for lively communal areas, sleek and spacious rooms and suites, and excellent food and beverage programming.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on down

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster