downscale

[ doun-skeyl ]

adjective

1. located at, moving toward, or of or for the middle or lower end of a social or economic scale:

   The discount store caters mainly to downscale customers.

2. plain, practical, or inexpensive; not luxurious:

   downscale clothing.

verb (used with object)

, down·scaled, down·scal·ing.

1. downsize ( def 1 ).
2. to make less luxurious or expensive.

downscale

adjective

1. of or for the lower end of an economic or social scale; down-market

verb

1. tr to reduce the scale of

Word History and Origins

Origin of downscale¹

down ¹ + scale ³

Example Sentences

In the Obama era, these downscale whites have streamed into the GOP.

From The Daily Beast

The New York Times reports this morning on Mitt Romney's difficulty closing the social gap between him and downscale voters.

From The Daily Beast

He must maintain appearances in keeping with his associations—or drop downscale to meaner opportunities and paltrier prizes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• affordable
• bargain
• budget-conscious
• budget-friendly
• cheap
• discount
• economical
• inexpensive
• low-priced