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Synonyms

downcast

American  
[doun-kast, -kahst] / ˈdaʊnˌkæst, -ˌkɑst /

adjective

  1. directed downward, as the eyes.

  2. dejected in spirit; depressed.

    Synonyms:
    blue, low, disconsolate, desolate, sad

noun

  1. overthrow or ruin.

  2. a downward look or glance.

  3. a shaft down which air passes, as into a mine (upcast ).

downcast British  
/ ˈdaʊnˌkɑːst /

adjective

  1. dejected

  2. (esp of the eyes) directed downwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. mining a ventilation shaft

  2. geology another word for downthrow

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • downcastly adverb
  • downcastness noun

Etymology

Origin of downcast

First recorded in 1250–1300, downcast is from the Middle English word douncasten. See down 1, cast

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Spurs interim manager Igor Tudor looks downcast during the home defeat by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Ireland skipper Lorcan Tucker was downcast after his side did not get to play.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

When she started releasing mixtapes a few years later, she specialized in downcast R&B, singing conversationally over rap beats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

The next day he was quiet and downcast.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

She stayed for a few moments on the phone, and when she came out, she looked downcast.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.