Synonyms

downer

American

[dou-ner] / ˈdaʊ nər /

noun

Informal.
1. a depressant or sedative drug, especially a barbiturate.
2. a depressing experience, person, or situation.
Animal Husbandry. an old or diseased animal, especially one that cannot stand up.

downer British

/ ˈdaʊnə /

noun

Also called: down. a barbiturate, tranquillizer, or narcotic Compare upper
a depressing experience
a state of depression

he's on a downer today

"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

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

It’s just a downer, an inappropriate introduction of ugly real-world truths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

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

Like virtually all of the climate scientists I spoke with, he’s not trying to be a downer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2025

Scrolling through CountDowners is a very serious downer.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

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