down 1 of 6

1
as in downward
toward or in a lower position the stairs went down to the basement

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in away
from this or that place came down from New York for the weekend

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down

2 of 6

adjective

1
2
as in lowered
directed down a down escalator

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3
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness feeling a bit down

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4
5
6

down

3 of 6

noun (1)

as in fur
a soft airy substance or covering a comforter filled with goose down

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down

4 of 6

noun (2)

1
as in accident
something (as a situation or event) that is depressing lately it's been one down after another in my life

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2
3
4
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude suffered with a psychological disorder in which she alternated between emotional ups and downs

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5

down

5 of 6

noun (3)

down

6 of 6

verb

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
Adverb
As of Monday, July 14, the cost of gas is down by 14 cents a gallon in the state, including South Florida. Miami Herald, 14 July 2025 Even something as basic as adding more RAM can involve specialized tools or a trip to a repair shop, if the option is even available at all. Repairs for these types of computers can be costly When something goes wrong — like the screen failing — your entire computer is down until it’s fixed. Ken Colburn, AZCentral.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
Hicks is a sure starter and near-every down player, but the rest is wide open. Zac Jackson, New York Times, 17 June 2025 The 30-year-old is coming off a down year in 2024, totaling 496 yards and two touchdowns in 10 appearances. Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Noun
Projection: Sneaks into field going 3-3 down stretch. Marc Weiszer, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 This includes your endometriosis symptoms, the timing of your periods, which symptoms are exacerbated at which parts of the cycle, and the ups and downs of your mood and mental health symptoms. Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 2 July 2025
Verb
Defending champion in the women’s division, Miki Sudo of Tampa, Fla., won her 11th title, downing 33 dogs, besting a dozen competitors. Susan Haigh, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025 The Maury County Office of Emergency Management said in a release that multiple trees and power lines were downed following the storm. Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down
Adverb
  • In the rising steam, watching the swirl of dust collect around her drain, funneling downward like sand in an hourglass, Lily stopped to think: There was a man in her house, a stranger!
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
  • The Home Improvement Research Institute just revised downward its previous 5% growth estimate for the overall home improvement market from earlier this year to 3.4%.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Adverb
  • This may keep them away for a little while, but the fine powder is likely to blow or wash away easily.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 July 2025
  • Alaina Chou, commerce writer, liked that the tight bubbles were sustained before fading gracefully away.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • Natural peanut butter: Store in a cool, dry spot for up three weeks, or for up to two months in the refrigerator.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
  • The relative strength indicator (RSI, below the price chart) is not confirming the up move.
    John Navin, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Screenshot from a July 1 TikTok video of a depressed golden retriever waiting for her dog dad to return 1 1/2 years after a breakup.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • The law expands opportunity zones and extends tax benefits for investing in inner cities and economically depressed rural areas.
    Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Kids get hurt and get sick, like anyone else; every year, a few in the practice battle life-threatening illness, often cancer.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Mission Viejo raced to the title while playing without wide receiver Vance Spafford (sick), cornerback Jeron Jones (fractured wrist), safeties Sawyer Thomson (knee) and Zachary Foeldi (knee) and wide receiver Max Markofski (hip).
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Performance has also been excellent so far compared to peers and a benchmark index.
    Jesse Pound, CNBC, 11 July 2025
  • This Dyson model is lightweight and has powerful suction and motorized tools that are excellent for getting hair out of carpets and upholstery.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • As the team on the field was losing 5-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks to drop to 47-49, the team in the front office was using its No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on a player that experts at MLB.com listed as the 18th best available prospect.
    Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 14 July 2025
  • Note: The streamer is known to drop episodes before 9 p.m., so keep an eye on the Love Island USA Season 7 page starting at around 8:30 p.m. ET.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • If contaminated floodwater is swallowed, or pollutes drinking water, this can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses such as stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
    ByMary Kekatos, ABC News, 11 July 2025
  • Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
    Matt Cannon, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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