variants
or down-at-heel
also down-at-the-heel
or down-at-heels
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect
the stately mansion where he lives now is a far cry from the down-at-the-heels triple-decker in which he grew up
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Recent Examples of down-at-the-heels
The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel Photo: Courtesy of Tribeca Festival
How did a 1970s British soccer star disappear without a trace at the peak of his career and, years later, end up managing a down-at-the-heels West Hollywood motel in obscurity?
—
Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 13 June 2025
By late 2015, the otherwise down-at-the-heels Quebec shipyard was awarded a contract for modification of the MV Asterix, an auxiliary replenishment vessel.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital, where secrets hide behind white picket fences.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 21 June 2024
Born 200 years ago in Wales to intellectually curious but down-at-the-heels parents, Wallace was forced to leave school at age 14.
—Jennie Erin Smith, wsj.com, 14 Apr. 2023
Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 13 June 2025
By late 2015, the otherwise down-at-the-heels Quebec shipyard was awarded a contract for modification of the MV Asterix, an auxiliary replenishment vessel.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital, where secrets hide behind white picket fences.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 21 June 2024
Born 200 years ago in Wales to intellectually curious but down-at-the-heels parents, Wallace was forced to leave school at age 14.
—Jennie Erin Smith, wsj.com, 14 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-at-the-heels
Adjective
-
The project was planned to clear the area of outdated and dilapidated buildings, to attract new businesses and promote economic revitalization.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The trip could also see China give the go-ahead for the UK to rebuild its dilapidated embassy in Beijing.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The department issued heavy fines and ultimately shuttered a neglected building in Denver’s uptown neighborhood last year that was owned by CBZ Management.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The narrative highlights the growing, unseen populations of lonely and neglected individuals, shedding light on a vital but often ignored aspect of public care.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Down-at-the-heels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-at-the-heels. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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