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

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2

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-to-earth Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church in 2013, has been known for his down-to-earth leadership, outspoken support of marginalized communities and interreligious dialogue. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025 Bostwick grew up in Wyoming and cultivated a down-to-earth mien. Katie Roiphe Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025 Which means this year, there's lots of ads designed to put a human, down-to-earth face on major technology products (Google Pixel's Gemini A.I.), pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer and Novartis), fast food conglomerates (Little Caesars and Doritos) and even gambling (Bet MGM and Fanduel). Eric Deggans, NPR, 9 Feb. 2025 Travelers seeking a more down-to-earth experience—that still captures the sensibility of this singular region in the Alps—will find the nearby village of Saanen a delightful alternative. Monica Mendal, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-earth
Adjective
  • Instead, Ram is using the humble 3.6 L Pentastar V6.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 27 Feb. 2025
  • By the time Napoleon invaded Egypt, in 1798, Alexandria had become a humble Ottoman port.
    Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Such a pragmatic view would not undermine American or Western principles and lead to a more durable peace agreement that does not compromise our values.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Woody Harrelson co-stars as Lemons’ mentor, Duncan Allcock, while Simu Liu plays their pragmatic colleague Dave Yuasa.
    Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Small mercies are welcome when the losses are this meek.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Sometimes, young players of his profile are quite meek — apologetic for their ability, even.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 27 July 2024
Adjective
  • The two decided to use handheld cameras, an unusual technique in Mexico at the time, to make the film feel viscerally realistic.
    Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
  • And it’s been wonderful to have such a realistic set.
    Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Gloria, her shy and soft-spoken best friend, lives with her Ghanaian father in a modest apartment, rarely speaking to a mother who moved to Germany years ago.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The decline was sharper than predicted by a Reuters poll of analysts, reversing January’s modest 0.5% increase and marking the first contraction since January 2024.
    John Liu, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The latter feels particularly like what audiences are hungry for right now as cooking and lifestyle shows can be a way to decompress - even if some of the content might be more aspirational than practical.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Using Media As An Influencer: Support non-commercial informative content that educates consumers on practical steps to reduce their carbon footprints.
    Srikanth Ramachandran, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-earth. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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