downer

[ dou-ner ]
/ ˈdaʊ nər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR downer ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
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Origin of downer

1910–15, Americanism, for an earlier sense; 1965–70, for def. 1; down1 + -er1

Words nearby downer

downcycle, downdraft, downdraught, down East, down-easter, downer, Downers Grove, Downey, Downey cell, downfall, downfallen
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to downer

misfortune, drag, bummer, bad trip, raw deal

Example sentences from the Web for downer

British Dictionary definitions for downer

downer
/ (ˈdaʊnə) /

noun slang

Also called: down a barbiturate, tranquillizer, or narcoticCompare upper
a depressing experience
a state of depressionhe'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

Medical definitions for downer

downer
[ dou′nər ]

n.

A depressant or sedative drug, such as a barbiturate or tranquilizer.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.