Synonyms of down
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as in downward 
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as in away
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as in up
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as in lowered
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as in depressed
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as in sick
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as in malfunctioning
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as in excellent
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as in fur
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as in accident
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as in grudge
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as in dislike
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as in drop
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as in demise
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as in prairie
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as in to drop
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as in to swallow
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as in to dismiss
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
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Related Articles
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Podcast
1
1
as in up
brought or having come to an end
eight down and two to go
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
feeling a bit down
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
down with the flu
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5
as in malfunctioning
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 excellent
slang
of the very best kind
a small jazz club that showcases some really down musicians
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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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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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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.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of down
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2025
After 62 minutes, still down 1-0, Alex Freeman — a natural right back — replaced Robinson; but the shape hardly changed.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Here, Swift’s hair is pinned in a half up, half down style, with bangs combed every which way.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
Against the Bills, the Dolphins had quite a few mistakes, including Sieler’s roughing-the-kicker penalty that gave reigning MVP Josh Allen a new set of downs and eventually a touchdown or Tua Tagovailoa’s interception on a potential game-tying drive.
—Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Wide receiver Tee Higgins shoved off the line against Moss on a fade route, the same matchup that downed the Broncos in Week 17 last season.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down
Adverb
Alabama was aggressive on fourth down, going 3-for-3.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2025
After 62 minutes, still down 1-0, Alex Freeman — a natural right back — replaced Robinson; but the shape hardly changed.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The Red Sox have the benefit of playing in a down era of American League talent where the path to the World Series seemed wide open for the third consecutive year.
—Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Here, Swift’s hair is pinned in a half up, half down style, with bangs combed every which way.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
Can Mizzou fix last week’s third-down woes?
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
Against the Bills, the Dolphins had quite a few mistakes, including Sieler’s roughing-the-kicker penalty that gave reigning MVP Josh Allen a new set of downs and eventually a touchdown or Tua Tagovailoa’s interception on a potential game-tying drive.
—Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Chapman was part of a SEAL Team Six mission during the war in Afghanistan in which helicopters were downed.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Wide receiver Tee Higgins shoved off the line against Moss on a fade route, the same matchup that downed the Broncos in Week 17 last season.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down
Adverb
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If needed, aim the bear spray slightly downward in front of the bear's head.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
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Adding the awards to the Grammy and Emmy telecasts would attract even more comedians to attend the ceremony, and the winners are almost certain to give entertaining acceptance speeches — which could goose ratings, which are trending downward in general.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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What those 15,000 or so fair-weather fans missed was the Broncos (4-2, 2-0) asserting themselves in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 41-25 Mountain West win over the Lobos (3-3, 0-2), who for much of the night were like a gnat the home team couldn’t swat away.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Oct. 2025
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With that goal, Messi moved into first place in the Golden Boot race, one goal ahead of Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC, who is away on national team duty with Gabon.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At 1-3, the Giants are still facing an up-hill battle of competing for a playoff spot in the deep NFC.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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United isn't alone in elevating its up-in-the-air dining experience.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This was highlighted by the fact that Psyche’s April 2024 message – beamed from a distance of 225 million kilometers – reached Earth at a lowered 25 megabits per second.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Sep. 2025
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Most commonly that’s expressed as a shrinking number of cable viewers and the lowered subscription and ad revenue that comes with it.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Matthiessen was born in 1927 to a pair of well-off, chronically depressed New Yorkers, people who were more likely to pour a stiff drink or take to their beds than to talk openly about their feelings.—
Maggie Doherty,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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Roberts plays an unhappy American in Venice who is wooed by depressed, divorced, and done-with-love Allen in a variety of vaguely dishonest ways.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Only sea stars injected with Vibrio pectenicida, or with material from sick sea stars, showed signs of disease.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
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The Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation team also spends several months every year caring for sick and injured green sea turtles at its Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Another set piece involving a malfunctioning chair lift is excruciatingly tense.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sims said Kaiser offers competitive pay and excellent health benefits, and is already reducing internal costs to make its latest wage offer to the Alliance of Health Care Unions — of which UNAC/UCHP is a member.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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Alabama’s Ty Simpson was excellent, finishing 23-for-31 for 200 yards and three touchdowns through the air.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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