lower

¹ American  

[lou-er, lou^uhr] / ˈlaʊ ər, laʊər /

Also lour

verb (used without object)

1. to be dark and threatening, as the sky or the weather.

   Synonyms:

   threaten , darken

2. to frown, scowl, or look sullen; glower.

   He lowers at people when he's in a bad mood.

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noun

1. a dark, threatening appearance, as of the sky or weather.

2. a frown or scowl.

lower ² American  

[loh-er] / ˈloʊ ər /

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to descend; let or put down.

   to lower a flag.

   Synonyms:

   depress , drop

2. to make lower in height or level.

   to lower the water in a canal.

3. to reduce in amount, price, degree, force, etc.

   Synonyms:

   lessen , diminish , decrease

   Antonyms:

   increase , raise , raise

4. to make less loud.

   Please lower your voice.

   Synonyms:

   soften

5. to bring down in rank or estimation; degrade; humble; abase (oneself), as by some sacrifice of self-respect or dignity.

   His bad actions lowered him in my eyes.

   Synonyms:

   debase , disgrace , dishonor , humiliate

   Antonyms:

   ennoble , elevate

6. Music.  to make lower in pitch; flatten.

7. Phonetics.  to alter the articulation of (a vowel) by increasing the distance of the tongue downward from the palate.

   The vowel of “clerk” is lowered to (ä) in the British pronunciation.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become lower, grow less, or diminish, as in amount, intensity, or degree.

   The brook lowers in early summer. Stock prices rise and lower constantly.

2. to descend; sink.

   the sun lowering in the west.

adjective

1. comparative of low.

2. of or relating to those portions of a river farthest from the source.

3. (often initial capital letter)  noting an early division of a period, system, or the like.

   the Lower Devonian.

noun

1. a denture for the lower jaw.

2. a lower berth.

lower ¹ British  

/ ˈləʊə /

adjective

1. being below one or more other things

   the lower shelf

   the lower animals

2. reduced in amount or value

   a lower price

3. maths (of a limit or bound) less than or equal to one or more numbers or variables

4. (sometimes capital) geology denoting the early part or division of a period, system, formation, etc

   Lower Silurian

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verb

1. (tr) to cause to become low or on a lower level; bring, put, or cause to move down

2. (tr) to reduce or bring down in estimation, dignity, value, etc

   to lower oneself

3. to reduce or be reduced

   to lower one's confidence

4. (tr) to make quieter

   to lower the radio

5. (tr) to reduce the pitch of

6. (tr) phonetics to modify the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue further away from the roof of the mouth

7. (intr) to diminish or become less

lower ² British  

/ ˈlaʊə /

verb

1. (esp of the sky, weather, etc) to be overcast, dark, and menacing

2. to scowl or frown

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noun

1. a menacing scowl or appearance

lower Scientific  

/ lō′ər /

1. Being an earlier division of the geological or archaeological period named.

2. Compare upper

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Other Word Forms

• lowerable adjective
• lowering adjective
• loweringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lower¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb louren “to frown, lurk”; akin to German lauern, Dutch loeren; lurk

Origin of lower¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, comparative of low ¹ (adjective)

Example Sentences

Oliver Allen, economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the gradual easing of tariff-related uncertainty, lower interest rates and an investment boost from tax incentives could lift manufacturing output slightly in the first half of next year.

From The Wall Street Journal

The lowered view is tied to the drop in Bitcoin prices.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the union argues that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.

From BBC

That’s when investors borrow money in Japanese Yen, which has lower interest rates than other currencies, before converting it into another currency to buy potentially high-yielding assets such as cryptocurrencies.

From Barron's

Their possible returns also depend on interest rates—lower rates typically mean less in possible gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• curtail
• cut
• cut down
• decrease
• depreciate
• devalue
• diminish
• downgrade
• knock off
• lessen
• pare
• scale down
• slash
• soften