downright

[doun-rahyt]

adjective

1. thorough; absolute; out-and-out.

   a downright falsehood.

2. frankly direct; straightforward.

   a downright person.

   Synonyms: blunt, frank, open, forthright, candid

3. Archaic.,  directed straight downward.

   a downright blow.

adverb

1. completely or thoroughly.

   I'm not just upset—I'm downright angry.

downright

/ ˈdaʊnˌraɪt /

adjective

1. frank or straightforward; blunt

   downright speech

2. archaic,  directed or pointing straight down

adverb

1. (intensifier)

   a downright certainty

   downright rude

Other Word Forms

• downrightly adverb
• downrightness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of downright¹

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; down ¹, right

Example Sentences

But those picks are all downright conventional compared with the man who will be the next manager of the San Francisco Giants.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She’s not wrong; indeed, the show’s flaunting of consumerist excess is downright timely.

Read more on Salon

Yet how the Jets pointed themselves in that direction was downright stunning.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Being a starting pitcher and a leadoff hitter in the same game after an 18-inning battle was revealed to be downright impossible.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Simultaneous meetings of three of the top four are even more unusual, and it’s downright rare for all four banks’ meetings to overlap.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• damned 
• outright