downer

4 synonyms and 1 antonym for downer, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — Something that makes people feel disappointed or depressed (informal).

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

sedative killjoy spoilsport depressant

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

Something that makes people feel disappointed or depressed (informal).

“Finding out the concert was cancelled was a real downer.”

sedative killjoy spoilsport depressant

2. noun

A sedative or depressant drug (slang).

“Eye Girl is very moody. She is always zooted up on some really foul combination of uppers and downers and Rollerblading. Her bouts of Rollerblading seem to coincide with fights with Eye Guy.”

Opposites

upper

How to use downer

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

what a downer a real downer

Informal — common in casual speech, not formal writing.

Etymology

Perhaps connected to tanner (“sixpence”).

Full origin of downer →

Frequently asked questions

What does “downer” mean?

The word “downer” means something that makes people feel disappointed or depressed (informal). In plain terms, something disappointing or depressing, or slang for a sedative drug.

How do you pronounce “downer”?

“Downer” is pronounced DOW-nuh (/ˈdaʊnɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “downer” in a sentence?

Here is “downer” used in a sentence: “Finding out the concert was cancelled was a real downer.”

What is another word for “downer”?

Words with a similar meaning to “downer” include killjoy and spoilsport.

What part of speech is “downer”?

“Downer” is a noun.

How many meanings does “downer” have?

“Downer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: something that makes people feel disappointed or depressed (informal).

People also searched

upper killjoy spoilsport sedative depressant

Nearby words

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