bring down

British  

verb

1. to cause to fall

   the fighter aircraft brought the enemy down

   the ministers agreed to bring down the price of oil

2. slang (usually passive) to cause to be elated and then suddenly depressed, as from using drugs

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bring down Idioms  

1. Cause to fall, collapse, or die. For example, The pilot won a medal for bringing down enemy aircraft , or The bill's defeat was sure to bring down the party . [c. 1300]

2. Cause a punishment or judgment, as in The bomb threats brought down the public's wrath on the terrorists [Mid-1600s]

3. Reduce, lower, as in I won't buy it till they bring down the price , or He refused to bring himself down to their level . This usage may be literal, as in the first example, or figurative, as in the second. [First half of 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bring down

It is not meant to replace humans and cannot bring down Japan's suicide rate -- the highest in the G7 -- alone, she stressed.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

In one photo, Graham posed, grinning, holding a black P1-SUN interceptor built to bring down Russian Shahed drones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

That soothed fears the Federal Reserve could hike interest rates soon to bring down inflation, and fuelled a healthy bounce across Asia, led by Seoul.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

Domestic supply needs to increase to bring down prices, but ranchers still lack the market and policy environment to grow the herd.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

This was designed to bring down the house, and usually it did.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey