down-and-out 1 of 2

1
2

down-and-out

2 of 2

noun

variants or down-and-outer

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-and-out
Adjective
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quickly realize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes off the rails. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025 Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quickly realize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes off the rails. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025 Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quicklyrealize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes offthe rails. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2025 He might be best known as the Minnesota-via-Brooklyn frontman of the Hold Steady, a punk bar-band wordsmith specializing in down-and-out tales with a Midwest flavor. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025 Black stars as the video game’s main character Steve and Momoa plays Garrett, a down-and-out 1980s video game champ stuck in the past. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025 Ron Howard is proud of his kid brother Clint, who recently had a guest run on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful as down-and-out musician Tom Starr. Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025 The movie follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a down-and-out former revolutionary who is in desperate search for his missing daughter. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2025 The clan of oddballs and down-and-outs has more than a little in common with the Kim family in Parasite, including Song as a hapless patriarch. Stream on Max Mother (2009) The opening and closing scenes of Bong’s masterful 2009 film are, swear to God, among the greatest bookends in movie history. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-and-out
Adjective
  • Weak Treasury Demand Moved Rates More recently, in the wake of the administration’s chaotic trade policy rollout, Treasury security auctions did not go as expected, with weak demand pushing rates up higher than everyone expected.
    Norbert Michel, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Iran was at its weakest point since the 1980s, maybe since the Iranian revolution in 1979.
    Quinn Scanlan, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Pope Francis was the first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, well-known for his call for engagement with the impoverished, love of creation and the Church.
    Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The dedication to care for impoverished women and children continues to influence the culture and values of Mercy today.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Sanders has long condemned the gap between the haves and have-nots in America, and political analysts say his message resonates now because he’s tapped into mounting anger over wealth disparities.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten.
    Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Consumer spending softened, increasing 1.8%, down from a 4% rise in the fourth quarter, but a decent performance in light of stock market turmoil and poor weather early in the quarter.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • These factors could contribute material risk to Nike’s earnings and put the company in a poor position to manage near-term headwinds.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Right-hander Michael King toyed with Colorado’s feeble offense and pitched his first complete-game shutout.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025
  • One feeble shift by the Freddy Gaudreau line led to the Flames countering and Sharangovich scoring on a deflection off a harmless-looking shot by Martin Pospisil.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Chelsea are hardly paupers domestically — no Premier League team is nowadays — but there’s a clear financial advantage in finishing higher up the table.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
  • In October 1911, Tarrant County commissioners agreed to assist Immigration Inspector E. R. Dilworth in keeping a sharp lookout for foreign paupers in the area.
    Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • With this, Trump is offering Putin a frail fig leaf of respectability.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The frail Francis had celebrated Easter with public words to his faithful flock and a brief meeting with Vice President JD Vance.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Extra hooks allow the bag to transform into a trapezoidal hobo shape.
    Joelle Diderich, WWD, 19 Sep. 2024
  • There’s a lot to love about Coach’s viral shoulder bag: the modern hobo style, the soft leather, the distinct shape.
    Lindy Segal, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Down-and-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-and-out. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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