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• down-and-out
  down-and-out

  adjective

  without any money, or means of support, or prospects; destitute; penniless.
• down and out
  down and out

  Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless. For example, After losing his job, car, and home, he was completely down and out. This term probably originated in boxing, where it alludes to the fighter who is knocked down and stays down for a given time, thereby losing the bout. [c. 1900] Also see down for the count.

down-and-out

American  

[doun-uhnd-out, -uhn] / ˈdaʊn əndˈaʊt, -ən /

adjective

1. without any money, or means of support, or prospects; destitute; penniless.

2. without physical strength or stamina; disabled; incapacitated.

3. too physically weakened by repeated defeats to qualify as a competent professional boxer.

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noun

1. Also down-and-outer. a person who is down-and-out.

down-and-out British  

adjective

1. without any means of livelihood; impoverished and, often, socially outcast

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noun

1. a person who is destitute and, often, homeless; a social outcast or derelict

down and out Idioms  

1. Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless. For example, After losing his job, car, and home, he was completely down and out. This term probably originated in boxing, where it alludes to the fighter who is knocked down and stays down for a given time, thereby losing the bout. [c. 1900] Also see down for the count.

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Etymology

Origin of down-and-out

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

down-and-out down and out

And who better to teach a down-and-out lawyer about courage and gumption than a coyote who has persevered in the face of certain failure?

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

As the most dismal, down-and-out franchise of the past half-century aimed to clinch the NBA Finals, the Knicks flirted with disaster yet again and fell behind by 15 points in the second half.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

That typified The Times’ approach to the down-and-out well into the 20th century.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2025

"These are a group of elderly down-and-out thieves, they're always broke, they're forever involved in convoluted plans… and they're facing a huge celebrity and they don't even know who she is."

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2025

She still shops at the dollar stores in Englewood, her old down-and-out neighborhood.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

People say it is down and out, but it was packed.

From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026

We don’t know much about him except that he’s only interested in keeping his head down and out of trouble.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2025

And we’re going to do everything we can to help anybody who’s down and out because of this.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2025

The Sky Blues looked down and out when Bruno Fernandes put Manchester United 3-0 ahead in the 59th minute.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2024

Never down and out, but several times on the verge of it.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote