down-low

American  

[doun-loh] / ˈdaʊnˈloʊ /

Or downlow

adjective

1. of or pertaining to men who secretly or discreetly have sex with other men.

   She once dated a down-low guy.

2. secret; discreet; low-profile.

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idioms

1. on the down-low,

   1. (of a man) secretly or discreetly engaging in sex with other men.

   2. done secretly or in a discreet manner.

      Okay I'll tell you, but keep it on the down-low.

Usage

What else does down-low mean? Content warning: the following content includes references to sexual activity. Something on the down-low is secret or private. Down-low can also specifically refer to Black men who secretly have sex.

Etymology

Origin of down-low

First recorded in 1990-95; down ¹ ( def. ) + low ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

If this is war, it is one that is being conducted on the down-low.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Of all the dirty, rotten, down-low things Netflix has done, providing a gaping pit of gold coins for Adam Sandler to cannonball into like Scrooge McDuck might be the worst so far.

From Salon • Jul. 27, 2025

Because people could relate to the different characters: the tough guys, the weak guys, the down-low guys, all of that.

From New York Times • Jun. 13, 2022

They’ve been kept on the down-low so long they don’t know which way is up in the new reality series “Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship!”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2022

He knows jes' whar dat track is,—de down-low track, I means, whar de 'scapin' from de debbil comes good to dese yere people when dey gits free.

From The Harvest of Years by Ewell, Martha Lewis Beckwith