downer

noun

ˈdau̇-nər How to pronounce downer (audio)
Definition of downernext
as in accident
something (as a situation or event) that is depressing that story of drug addiction was a real downer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 downer For anyone hoping for a South Street Seaport revival, the past few months have been a downer. — Ian Volner, Curbed, 4 June 2026 Another, amazing design, but the location is a total downer. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 That’s not to say that this album is a downer, by any means. — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2026 Learning to identify these downer moments and replace them with positive images is really empowering and can make your days more enjoyable. — Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for downer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downer
  1. accident
  2. bore
  3. down
  4. bummer
Noun
  • Near-death experiences are frequently triggered by a life-threatening event, such as cardiac arrest, traumatic brain injury or a car accident.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The Unicorn Gundam wasn’t chosen by accident either; like the Nu Gundam, the Unicorn Gundam is one of the most popular designs in terms of model kit and toy sales.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of accident
Noun
  • CFMoto clearly doesn’t like to play by the conventional rules, and its latest offering takes a direct shot at big-bore ADVs at a fraction of the price.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The bore heading eastbound into Chinatown will close for about seven months, with one lane of traffic open in each direction in the other bore.
    — Sooji Nam, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bore
Noun
  • Some travelers, such as those with disabilities, can undergo a physical pat-down at request.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the dry-down, tonka bean tempers the citrus with a creamy, softly gourmand quality that contrasts with the bright opening.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of down
Noun
  • Which is a bummer, because this team is — somehow — very, very good.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • That was one of my biggest takeaways — and bummers — from my conversation with Chris Barker, an epidemiology professor at UC Davis who has studied mosquitoes for almost 30 years, including at his lab.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of bummer

Browse Nearby Words

downed
downer
downers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downer. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All