1
as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
we were all impressed by how down-to-earth the movie star turned out to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly
a down-to-earth guidance counselor who is frank in telling students which colleges they're likely to get into
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of down-to-earth
That down-to-earth nature has even shifted some allegiances back in North Carolina ahead of the big game on Sunday.
—
Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Eschewing overblown drama or scandalous moments, there is a refreshingly down-to-earth tone to The Boyfriend that sets it apart from other reality series.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
His winning smile and enduring optimism, along with his habit of riding his bicycle to work while chomping on an apple seemed to help cement his popularity in the Netherlands, where such down-to-earth behavior is prized.
—Mike Corder, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Joining the ensemble cast of a hit show during its third season was understandably intimidating, but Dodd has nothing but good things to say about how her costars welcomed her, calling them the nicest, most normal, down-to-earth people.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Eschewing overblown drama or scandalous moments, there is a refreshingly down-to-earth tone to The Boyfriend that sets it apart from other reality series.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
His winning smile and enduring optimism, along with his habit of riding his bicycle to work while chomping on an apple seemed to help cement his popularity in the Netherlands, where such down-to-earth behavior is prized.
—Mike Corder, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Joining the ensemble cast of a hit show during its third season was understandably intimidating, but Dodd has nothing but good things to say about how her costars welcomed her, calling them the nicest, most normal, down-to-earth people.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-earth
Adjective
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The psychological vulnerability this creates was encountered decades ago in a far humbler system.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
-
And Scorsese approaches it all through the lens of Harrison’s humble humanism.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Taken individually, these trips are pragmatic exercises in economic statecraft.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
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On the other Derya, who is more pragmatic.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But savings were meek, with the largest dip found in Stockton, off only 4% last year vs up 2% in 2024 and 36% over the previous four years.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
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Soft power isn’t about being meek.—
Penny Abeywardena,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This cadence is frequent enough to keep dust and dirt from settling in, but realistic enough to make a consistent habit.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
10 Feb. 2026
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Trading back with one of the picks is realistic if the right offer is on the table.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The people around are astonished; in Uppsala they are used to something a little more modest.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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However, the expert warned that focusing on combat performance could push robot development away from typical industrial or service uses, because fighting requires extreme, short bursts of high-impact movement rather than steady, practical operation.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Daytrip Snack Boxes and the LoadOut GoBox are durable, practical upgrades for lunches, beach days, poolside drinks and gear storage.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-earth. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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