lowering

American  

[lou-er-ing, louuhr-ing] / ˈlaʊ ər ɪŋ, ˈlaʊər ɪŋ /

Also louring

adjective

1. dark and threatening, as the sky, clouds, or weather; overcast; gloomy.

   lowering skies.

2. frowning or sullen, as the face or gaze; scowling; angry.

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Other Word Forms

• loweringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lowering

First recorded in 1300–50, lowering is from the Middle English word louring. See lower ², -ing ²

Example Sentences

The government's move is aimed at lowering barriers to research, as authorizing clinical studies on Schedule I substances can require many layers of approval.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Scott worked a scoreless inning, lowering his earned-run average to 0.93.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

It adds that a recent—and long-awaited—refinancing was pleasing to see, lowering the miner’s cost of debt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

But lowering the need for reserves has its limits.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

“By then,” Mira repeated, her voice lowering into a barely audible whisper, “by then it was too late.”

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix