lower

[ loh-er ]

/ ˈloʊ ər /

verb (used with object)

to cause to descend; let or put down: to lower a flag.

to make lower in height or level: to lower the water in a canal.

to reduce in amount, price, degree, force, etc.

to make less loud: Please lower your voice.

to bring down in rank or estimation; degrade; humble; abase (oneself), as by some sacrifice of self-respect or dignity: His bad actions lowered him in my eyes.

Music. to make lower in pitch; flatten.

Phonetics. to alter the articulation of (a vowel) by increasing the distance of the tongue downward from the palate: The vowel of “clerk” is lowered to (ä) in the British pronunciation.

verb (used without object)

to become lower, grow less, or diminish, as in amount, intensity, or degree: The brook lowers in early summer. Stock prices rise and lower constantly.

to descend; sink: the sun lowering in the west.

adjective

comparative of low¹.

of or relating to those portions of a river farthest from the source.

(often initial capital letter)Stratigraphy. noting an early division of a period, system, or the like: the Lower Devonian.

noun

a denture for the lower jaw.

a lower berth.

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endless and unavailing, as labor or a task.

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prying; meddlesome.

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Origin of lower

1150–1200; Middle English, comparative of low¹ (adj.)

SYNONYMS FOR lower

1 drop, depress.

3 decrease, diminish, lessen.

4 soften.

5 humiliate, dishonor, disgrace, debase.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lower ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR lower

3 raise, increase.

5 elevate, honor.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR lower ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM lower

low·er·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby lower

lowdown, lowe, Lowell, Lowell Observatory, low-end, lower, lower airway, Lower Austria, lower bound, Lower Burrell, Lower California

Definition for lower (2 of 2)

lower²

[ lou-er, louuhr ]

/ ˈlaʊ ər, laʊər /

verb (used without object)

to be dark and threatening, as the sky or the weather.

to frown, scowl, or look sullen; glower: He lowers at people when he's in a bad mood.

noun

a dark, threatening appearance, as of the sky or weather.

a frown or scowl.

Also lour

[louuhr, lou-er] /laʊər, ˈlaʊ ər/ .

Origin of lower

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lour (noun), louren (verb) “to frown, lurk”; akin to German lauern, Dutch loeren; see lurk

SYNONYMS FOR lower

1 darken, threaten.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for lower

Dossi initially was listed in critical condition with wounds to his arm and lower back.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
States were encouraged and allowed to lower standards to make it appear they were improving.
The ‘No Child’ Rewrite Threatens Your Kids’ Future|Jonah Edelman|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I learned that he was working and living in the Lower East Side, delivering orders for an Italian restaurant and raising two kids.
Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar|Daniel Levin|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In France, the death toll has been lower: One young man killed in the city of Nantes.
France’s Wave of Crazy-Terror Christmas Attacks|Christopher Dickey|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The longer someone stays well, the lower their chance of relapsing, although that possibility never becomes zero.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sure of the result, he pressed with his finger tips upon the lower end of that short piece of board.
Murder at Bridge|Anne Austin
I was in a corner of the lower end, when I saw Dubois enter in a stout coat, with his ordinary bearing.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, Complete|Duc de Saint-Simon
The girl slipped away from him, reached the staircase that led to the lower floor, and bounded down.
The Pocket Bible or Christian the Printer|Eugne Sue
When fluid has collected in the lower part of the chest cavity the sound will also be dull on percussion.
Special Report on Diseases of Cattle|U.S. Department of Agriculture
He travelled extensively in South America; and, among other places, visited the lower valley of the Orinoco.
Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States|Raphael Semmes

British Dictionary definitions for lower (1 of 2)

lower¹

/ (ˈləʊə) /

adjective

being below one or more other thingsthe lower shelf; the lower animals

reduced in amount or valuea lower price

maths (of a limit or bound) less than or equal to one or more numbers or variables

(sometimes capital) geology denoting the early part or division of a period, system, formation, etcLower Silurian

verb

(tr) to cause to become low or on a lower level; bring, put, or cause to move down

(tr) to reduce or bring down in estimation, dignity, value, etcto lower oneself

to reduce or be reducedto lower one's confidence

(tr) to make quieterto lower the radio

(tr) to reduce the pitch of

(tr) phonetics to modify the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue further away from the roof of the mouth

(intr) to diminish or become less

Derived forms of lower

lowerable, adjective

Word Origin for lower

C12 (comparative of low 1); C17 (vb)

British Dictionary definitions for lower (2 of 2)

lower²

lour

/ (ˈlaʊə) /

verb (intr)

(esp of the sky, weather, etc) to be overcast, dark, and menacing

to scowl or frown

noun

a menacing scowl or appearance

Derived forms of lower

lowering or louring, adjectiveloweringly or louringly, adverb

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

Scientific definitions for lower

lower

[ lō′ər ]

Being an earlier division of the geological or archaeological period named. Compare upper.

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lower

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

noun

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Origin of lower

SYNONYMS FOR lower

ANTONYMS FOR lower

OTHER WORDS FROM lower

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Definition for lower (2 of 2)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of lower

SYNONYMS FOR lower

Example sentences from the Web for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lower (1 of 2)

adjective

verb

Derived forms of lower

Word Origin for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lower (2 of 2)

lour

verb (intr)

noun

Derived forms of lower

Scientific definitions for lower

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

lower

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

noun

QUIZZES

THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS HARDLY A DODDLE!

Origin of lower

SYNONYMS FOR lower

ANTONYMS FOR lower

OTHER WORDS FROM lower

Words nearby lower

Definition for lower (2 of 2)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of lower

SYNONYMS FOR lower

Words related to lower

Example sentences from the Web for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lower (1 of 2)

adjective

verb

Derived forms of lower

Word Origin for lower

British Dictionary definitions for lower (2 of 2)

lour

verb (intr)

noun

Derived forms of lower

Scientific definitions for lower