downer
Americannoun
-
Informal.
-
a depressant or sedative drug, especially a barbiturate.
-
a depressing experience, person, or situation.
-
-
Animal Husbandry. an old or diseased animal, especially one that cannot stand up.
noun
-
Also called: down. a barbiturate, tranquillizer, or narcotic Compare upper
-
a depressing experience
-
a state of depression
he's on a downer today
Etymology
Origin of downer
1910–15, for an earlier sense; 1965–70, downer for def. 1; down 1 + -er 1
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.
But Riley stressed the film is not a downer portrayal of the struggle between social classes.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
Sorry to be a downer, but the reality is December and January are typically the months when companies cut the most jobs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
Singer Emmy aims for a hopeful spin on a tragic story but, despite a peppy performance, it's a bit of a downer.
From BBC • May 9, 2025
Made in collaboration with Pallenberg’s son Marlon Richards, “Catching Fire” is a redemptive portrait that nevertheless plays like a downer.
From New York Times • May 2, 2024
I wait for some kind of disclaimer from him about his theory being dumb or that he’s sorry for being a downer.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
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.
