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• down-to-earth
  down-to-earth

  adjective

  practical and realistic.
• down to earth
  down to earth

  Back to reality. For example, It's time the employees were brought down to earth concerning the budget . P.G. Wodehouse had this idiom in Very Good, Jeeves! (1930): “I had for some little time been living . . . in another world. I now came down to earth with a bang.” [Late 1920s]

down-to-earth

American  

[daun-too-urth, -tuh-] / ˈdaʊn tuˈɜrθ, -tə- /

adjective

1. practical and realistic.

   a down-to-earth person.

   Synonyms:

   pragmatic, sober, sensible, hardheaded

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down-to-earth British  

adjective

1. sensible; practical; realistic

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down to earth Idioms  

1. Back to reality. For example, It's time the employees were brought down to earth concerning the budget . P.G. Wodehouse had this idiom in Very Good, Jeeves! (1930): “I had for some little time been living . . . in another world. I now came down to earth with a bang.” [Late 1920s]

2. Also, down-to-earth . Realistic or interested in everyday occurrences, as in She is a very down-to-earth person, not at all involved with the glamour of Hollywood . [1930s]

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Etymology

Origin of down-to-earth

First recorded in 1925–30

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Explanation

If you're practical and unpretentious, your friends might describe you as down-to-earth. When a movie star is known for being unassuming and friendly, you can also call them down-to-earth. This adjective has two slightly different meanings, the first of which is "realistic and sensible." You could say that someone who's down-to-earth has a lot of common sense. The second meaning is "modest or unpretentious," like a rock star who drives an old car and shows up at the local library and coffee shop — just like a regular person. Either way, being described as down-to-earth is always a compliment.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

down-to-earth down to earth

The social media posts where he does try to present himself as down-to-earth are frequently subjected to viral mockery.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026

As the first mayor of Greater Manchester, he built a powerful political brand - affable, down-to-earth and, above all, proudly Northern.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

He made those earlier this year to launch the biggest IPO ever in June, a headier period that has now given way to the more down-to-earth reality of executing on the strategy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

When Bertha’s down-to-earth sister, Monica, threatens to ruin the overall aesthetic with a dowdy frock, some light sabotage leads Monica to accept Bertha’s previously worn Season 1 gown.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Cassius was simply a likeable, friendly, clean-cut, down-to-earth youngster.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

She was down to earth, never forgot her roots.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

Smyth said it was "very daunting", but Comer and Jackman were "so down to earth"

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Dolly always sort of signaled her love of the mess of it, and it didn’t bring her down to earth in your eyes, it elevated her even more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Optical-networking stocks have come back down to earth in recent months, and a Barclays analyst thinks that Lumentum Holdings shares now look attractive in the wake of their selloff.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

‘Whoopee!’ he cried, when he came down to earth again.

From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl

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