lower

verb (1)

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low·er | \ ˈlau̇(-ə)r

, ˈlō-ər

variants: or less commonly lour \ ˈlau̇(-ə)r

lowered also loured; lowering also louring; lowers also lours

Definition of lower

(Entry 1 of 4)

intransitive verb

1 : to look sullen : frown

2 : to be or become dark, gloomy, and threatening an overcast sky lowered over the village

lower

noun

variants: or less commonly lour

Definition of lower (Entry 2 of 4)

: frown

lower

adjective

low·er | \ ˈlō-ər

Definition of lower (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : relatively low in position, rank, or order

2 : southern lower New York State

3 : less advanced in the scale of evolutionary development

4a : situated or held to be situated beneath the earth's surface

b capitalized : being an earlier epoch or series of the period or system named Lower Cretaceous Lower Paleolithic

5 : constituting the popular and often the larger and more representative branch of a bicameral legislative body lower house

lower

verb (2)

low·er | \ ˈlō-ər

lowered; lowering; lowers

Definition of lower (Entry 4 of 4)

intransitive verb

: to move down : drop also : diminish

transitive verb

1a : to let descend : let down

b : to depress as to direction lower your aim

c : to reduce the height of

2a : to reduce in value, number, or amount

b(1) : to bring down in quality or character : degrade

(2) : abase, humble

c : to reduce the objective of

lower the boom

: to deal a crushing blow or punishment

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing lower Learn More About lower

Examples of lower in a Sentence

Noun he turned to see the scornful lower on her face Adjective the ship's upper and lower decks The message appeared on the lower portion of the screen. the mountain's upper and lower slopes The forecast is for strong winds at lower elevations. in the lower and higher latitudes the lower and upper peninsulas See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The grand centerpiece is the two-story hearth fireplace, which extends from the lobby down to the entertainment spaces on the lower level. — Rachel King, Fortune, 7 May 2022 Notably, the study found that lower-level employees were far less likely to find fulfillment in their work, which negatively impacted their satisfaction with work and life in general. — Ron Carucci, Forbes, 7 May 2022 The lower level has a rec room, a wine cellar and a bedroom with an en suite bathroom. — Washington Post, 6 May 2022 Ron also renovated the three bedrooms and bathrooms on the lower level, and the house received a full electrical rewire, as well as new HVAC, ducting, and a steel roof replacement. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 5 May 2022 Tickets on the lower level start at around $200 plus service charges behind the basket, but jump steadily as the sections move closer to the middle of the floor. — Emmett Prosser, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 May 2022 Often these social engineering schemes prey on lower-level employees. — Kristina Libby, Popular Mechanics, 5 May 2022 On Tuesday, cancellations continued, though at a lower level. — Dominic Gates, Anchorage Daily News, 4 May 2022 Elsewhere, there’s a lovely gourmet kitchen, a gym, a wine cellar with room for 2,500 bottles, a movie theater and a lower level for entertaining. — Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lower.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.