1
as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
we were all impressed by how down-to-earth the movie star turned out to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly
a down-to-earth guidance counselor who is frank in telling students which colleges they're likely to get into
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of down-to-earth
People aren’t fully aware of how complicated, down-to-earth, dirty, and full of suffering the resistance was.
—
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
Natural wood-grain texture gives this bed a down-to-earth aesthetic but still winks at New England vintage.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 May 2026
In person, Magyar gives every indication of being magnanimous and down-to-earth, smiling easily, thanking everyone profusely, and treating his son with what looks like authentic affection, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
All achieved on the back of a dressing room that, despite the massive upheaval in personnel, has remained as down-to-earth and lacking in egos as before.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
Natural wood-grain texture gives this bed a down-to-earth aesthetic but still winks at New England vintage.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 13 May 2026
In person, Magyar gives every indication of being magnanimous and down-to-earth, smiling easily, thanking everyone profusely, and treating his son with what looks like authentic affection, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
All achieved on the back of a dressing room that, despite the massive upheaval in personnel, has remained as down-to-earth and lacking in egos as before.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-earth
Adjective
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The solution is a more humble acknowledgment of what price indices can and cannot do, combined with policy institutions that reduce the stakes of getting measurement wrong.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
This $21 pair has an ankle strap for extra support and a humble two-inch heel.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Tharmarajah provides a great balance of comic relief and utter poignance, explaining his survival techniques as an orphan, carving out a pragmatic path in life leading to a particular kind of soaring.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
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Going through the pandemic and losing a lot of people, and a lot of people losing faith and hope, and being someone who also performed military service, Ali’s a person who has to be a bit more pragmatic about death.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The series centers on Cha Myung-jo, a meek worker at a company producing imitation character stickers who, despite nominally heading his household, lives in the shadow of his far more capable wife.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 June 2026
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Talarico’s Jesus is meek and mild, a man of heart rather than ego.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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However, rather than moving in any extreme direction, Korkmaz said the Turkish mill is seeing demand for realistic pieces combined with stronger finishes, bolder aesthetics and more attitude.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
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How can American democracy remain healthy if conservatives and Republicans won’t accept the results when their candidates lose — even candidates who never had a realistic chance of winning?—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Cal Fire still holds a modest annual budget for wildfire mitigation work.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Frankly, his ambitions are modest, and this sits well with us.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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According to China Daily, several Chinese automakers and battery manufacturers are accelerating commercialization efforts, viewing the technology as a practical path toward improved battery performance without the manufacturing challenges associated with fully solid-state designs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
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The tiny house features a practical interior with two bedrooms – plus a sofa bed for guests – and has multiple options available, including off-grid functionality.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-earth. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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