down·right
ˈdau̇n-ˌrīt 
1
archaic
: straight down
2
: absolutely sense 1a
downright handsome
downright mean
3
obsolete
: forthright
Synonyms of downright
Examples of downright in a Sentence
Adverb
The movie was downright stupid.
It's very difficult, if not downright impossible.
Adjective
rural folks are often known for their downright speech, as they are generally not ones to beat around the bush
that's a downright lie, and you know it
Recent Examples on the Web
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
2 July 2026
As The Traitors' host, Cumming oversees a hodgepodge of reality stars and C-list celebrities who partake in a series of challenges ranging from goofy to downright harrowing — that season 2 cabin of maggots!
—
Sara Netzley,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 July 2026
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
26 June 2026
The humidity becomes downright oppressive on Friday in the Philadelphia region and stays like that through the evening.
—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for downright
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Adverb
Although more cautious than the NAIA, the slow-moving NCAA has been downright bullish compared to its usual sport-adoption protocols.
—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
2 July 2026
As The Traitors' host, Cumming oversees a hodgepodge of reality stars and C-list celebrities who partake in a series of challenges ranging from goofy to downright harrowing — that season 2 cabin of maggots!
—
Sara Netzley,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 July 2026
Adjective
Low water pressure can turn everyday tasks into downright frustrating chores.
—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
26 June 2026
The humidity becomes downright oppressive on Friday in the Philadelphia region and stays like that through the evening.
—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for downright
Cite this Entry
“Downright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downright. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downright
1 of 2 adverb
down·right
-ˌrīt
: in a complete and absolute manner
that was downright stupid
downright
2 of 2 adjective1
: absolute sense 3, utter
a downright lie
downrightly
adverb
downrightness
noun
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