1
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
I'm over the flu, but I still feel down-and-out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
a soup kitchen where the down-and-out daily line up for a hot meal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or down-and-outer
as in have-not
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of down-and-out
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quickly
realize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes off
the rails.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quicklyrealize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes offthe rails.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2025
He might be best known as the Minnesota-via-Brooklyn frontman of the Hold Steady, a punk bar-band wordsmith specializing in down-and-out tales with a Midwest flavor.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Black stars as the video game’s main character Steve and Momoa plays Garrett, a down-and-out 1980s video game champ stuck in the past.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Ron Howard is proud of his kid brother Clint, who recently had a guest run on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful as down-and-out musician Tom Starr.
—Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The movie follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a down-and-out former revolutionary who is in desperate search for his missing daughter.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2025
The clan of oddballs and down-and-outs has more than a little in common with the Kim family in Parasite, including Song as a hapless patriarch.
Stream on Max
Mother (2009)
The opening and closing scenes of Bong’s masterful 2009 film are, swear to God, among the greatest bookends in movie history.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quickly realize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes off the rails.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2025
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quickly
realize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes off
the rails.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Having done just that, a down-and-out husband and his pregnant wife quicklyrealize that his folks don’t want them around, triggering a raucous power struggle that goes offthe rails.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2025
He might be best known as the Minnesota-via-Brooklyn frontman of the Hold Steady, a punk bar-band wordsmith specializing in down-and-out tales with a Midwest flavor.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Black stars as the video game’s main character Steve and Momoa plays Garrett, a down-and-out 1980s video game champ stuck in the past.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Ron Howard is proud of his kid brother Clint, who recently had a guest run on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful as down-and-out musician Tom Starr.
—Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The movie follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a down-and-out former revolutionary who is in desperate search for his missing daughter.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2025
The clan of oddballs and down-and-outs has more than a little in common with the Kim family in Parasite, including Song as a hapless patriarch.
Stream on Max
Mother (2009)
The opening and closing scenes of Bong’s masterful 2009 film are, swear to God, among the greatest bookends in movie history.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-and-out
Adjective
-
Dell Technologies’ balance sheet appears relatively weak.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead called the case weak and a deterrent to tech investment in a blog post on Sunday.—
Jody Godoy,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Criminal justice scholars say that when scores based on immutable facts are weighted so heavily in parole decisions, prisoners from impoverished, racially segregated communities are more likely to be hurt.—
Richard A. Webster,
ProPublica,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The once-vacant lot across the street from her childhood playground on Washington Avenue is now home to Wilcox Academy, an early learning center that represents a powerful investment in a historically impoverished community.—
Raymond Pierce,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
On the investment side, strong gains for housing and stocks are widening the have/have-not divide.—
Russ Wiles,
USA TODAY,
8 Oct. 2024
-
Investment gains widen the have/have-not divide This has been a year of rising personal wealth, with no signs of it abating.—
Russ Wiles,
The Arizona Republic,
6 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
But academic research has consistently demonstrated that stadiums are poor drivers of economic growth and an analysis published last month found stadium projects spur little growth in local construction industries.—
Jonathan Shorman,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Some parents worry that Alexa's high tolerance for rudeness instills poor behavior in their kids, according to Quartz.—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Right-hander Michael King toyed with Colorado’s feeble offense and pitched his first complete-game shutout.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2025
-
One feeble shift by the Freddy Gaudreau line led to the Flames countering and Sharangovich scoring on a deflection off a harmless-looking shot by Martin Pospisil.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
They were presumed to be paupers from Mexico, looking for charity.—
Richard J. Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2025
-
He was made to leave a pauper after years of hard work.—
Kanak Kapur,
The New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
This was the spring of 2020, however, and the impossibilities of international travel, and my dad’s frail health, delayed the journey.—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The op-ed also followed Biden's frail performance against President Donald Trump in the June 27 presidential debate.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Extra hooks allow the bag to transform into a trapezoidal hobo shape.—
Joelle Diderich,
WWD,
19 Sep. 2024
-
There’s a lot to love about Coach’s viral shoulder bag: the modern hobo style, the soft leather, the distinct shape.—
Lindy Segal,
Glamour,
13 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Down-and-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-and-out. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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