come down

Idioms  

1. Lose wealth or position, as in After the market crashed, the Tates really came down in the world . A 1382 translation of the Bible by followers of John Wycliffe had this term: “Come down from glory, sit in thirst” (Jeremiah 48:18).

2. Become reduced in size or amount, be lowered, as in Interest rates will have to come down before the economy recovers . [Mid-1600s]

3. Be handed down by inheritance, tradition, or a higher authority. For example, This painting has come down to us from our great-grandparents , or These stories have come down through the generations , or An indictment finally came down . [c. 1400]

4. Also, go down . Happen, occur, as in What's coming down tonight? [ Slang ; 1960s]

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Example Sentences

The summer’s “decision season,” when the final and most significant rulings come down, has a predictable cadence that ends when the justices go on summer recess.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026

For you, this means your next electronic purchase is gonna get pricey—and it’s not going to come down anytime soon.

From Slate • Jul. 2, 2026

Granted, the reason inflation expectations have come down is that oil prices have fallen after the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding reopened Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026

The average External link price of gasoline has come down from its highs, but still sits at $3.86, well above where it was before the conflict began.

From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026

Bad weather slowed them down, and as it began to get dark, Marina’s group had to make the decision to come down to earth on a soggy airfield in the middle of nowhere.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein