as in silky
smooth or delicate in appearance or feel
the downy surface of a ripe peach
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downy
Four goslings twisted their downy necks to stare at me hard.
—
Blair Braverman, Outside Online, 7 July 2025
Two tall sandhill crane parents strutted through the marsh, their downy red colt toddling behind them.
—Anne Readel, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2025
Reviled as rats with wings or, by a slimmer margin, beloved as downy, dirty urban icons, pigeons seem as much a part of New York as its skyline.
—Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, 3 May 2025
In the center of all those pointy twigs will be a cup shape of soft and downy materials that will cradle the eggs and the new babies.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downy
Blair Braverman, Outside Online, 7 July 2025
Two tall sandhill crane parents strutted through the marsh, their downy red colt toddling behind them.
—Anne Readel, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2025
Reviled as rats with wings or, by a slimmer margin, beloved as downy, dirty urban icons, pigeons seem as much a part of New York as its skyline.
—Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, 3 May 2025
In the center of all those pointy twigs will be a cup shape of soft and downy materials that will cradle the eggs and the new babies.
—Joan Morris, Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downy
Adjective
-
Signature items include spare ribs lacquered with red char siu glaze and five-spice duck legs with silky, luxurious dark meat beneath a shatteringly crisp skin.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The silky lotion protects with 10% zinc oxide, hydrates with jojoba seed and almond oils, and gets your skin ridiculously glowy with a rosy-beige tint.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Pop a satin version on top of your usual night-out curls to make the 'do feel glamorous.—
Jasmine Washington,
Seventeen,
18 Jan. 2023
-
From satin pillowcases to a hydrating moisturizer, all of these products are on sale for less than $25.—
Isabel Garcia,
Peoplemag,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Athletique There is something edgy yet soft about a funnel-neck in a technical fabric—lean in and pair a wind- and water-resistant shell with trousers and sneakers for a touch of sport, or style it with a pencil skirt and kitten heels for a more feminine feel.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Swift wore Elson 4, the brand’s best-selling blue-red, but the bullet-proof formula comes in 12 beautiful hues ranging from a soft beige peach (Nude Cabaret) to a deep bronzed rose (Flesh 3).—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downy. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share