downright

[ doun-rahyt ]

adjective

1. thorough; absolute; out-and-out:

   a downright falsehood.

2. frankly direct; straightforward:

   a downright person.

   Synonyms: blunt, frank, open, forthright, candid

3. Archaic. directed straight downward:

   a downright blow.

adverb

1. completely or thoroughly:

   I'm not just upset—I'm downright angry.

downright

/ ˈdaʊnˌraɪt /

adjective

1. frank or straightforward; blunt

   downright speech

2. archaic.
   directed or pointing straight down

adverb

1. (intensifier)

   a downright certainty

   downright rude

Derived Forms

• ˈdownˌrightly, adverb
• ˈdownˌrightness, noun

Other Words From

• downrightly adverb
• downrightness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of downright¹

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; down ¹, right

Example Sentences

Gunter says although products such as tampons and sanitary products are needed, the scented washes and wipes that accompany them in drug store aisles are unnecessary at best and can be downright harmful at worst.

From Washington Post

The advent of online publishing and social media spurred a land rush to the far right, with diminished confidence in media leading to careers and outlets powered by offering the most extreme interpretations of events if not downright falsehoods.

From Washington Post

It isn’t, but a lot of folks are doing some downright risky things with their personal capital all the same.

From TechCrunch

A VR game is the perfect way to pass the time on a rainy, windy, or downright chilly day.

From Popular-Science

All of the ingredients are there for a downright wild season on ice, and we can’t wait for the puck to drop.

From FiveThirtyEight

The industry lore is downright jaw-dropping in the details of the cons known as “brick-in-box” returns.

From The Daily Beast

In fact, during visits like these, the parents are often downright apologetic about it.

From The Daily Beast

At this point, Kanye went from showing a lack of understanding to being downright offensive.

From The Daily Beast

The typically fresh-faced, photogenic 31-year-old actor is sporting a bushy, unkempt, downright Biblical-looking beard.

From The Daily Beast

After decades of too-cute, formulaic romantic comedy pairings in movies and TV, their behavior seems downright revolutionary.

From The Daily Beast

A barber having a dispute with a parish clerk on a point of grammar, the latter said it was a downright barbarism, indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

I've said from the very first, it's downright indecent for a girl to live alone on a farm—no chaperon, not even a woman servant.

From Project Gutenberg

Avoid sarcasm; it will, unconsciously to yourself, degenerate into pertness, and often downright rudeness.

From Project Gutenberg

Any other doctrine than this, is downright delusion, unworthy of a free people, and only intended for slaves.

From Project Gutenberg

This was a downright fraud, and the court justly held that the will had been revoked.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• damned
• outright