How to use downright in a sentence

40 example sentences · adverb, adjective, noun

Downright means completely, wholly. Example: “He wasn’t just cool to me, he was downright rude.”

Examples of downright by meaning

adverbCompletely, wholly.

He wasn’t just cool to me, he was downright rude.
The pure Drummond product, the four-cylinder 4-6-0 as built for the London & South Western, was a less successful design, and some of the specimens were downright bad.1955 January, John W. Grant, “The Scottish Contribution”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 49

adjectiveAbsolute, complete.

People who are downright bad drivers should not handle a motor these days, when the roads are so crowded and dangerous.1934, J[ohn] B[oynton] Priestley, “To the West Riding”, in English Journey […], London: William Heinemann in association with Victor...

adjectiveOf a person or their behaviour: direct, plain, straightforward; also, of speech: direct and unambiguous; blunt, to the...

English words and thought seem too downright a medium into which to render these evanescent, half-expressed sentences and poems—vague as the misty mountain scenery of her country, with no pronouns at all, and without verb inflections.1920, Annie Shepley Omori, Kochi Doi, “Translators’ Note”, in Annie Shepley Omori, Kochi Doi, transl., Diaries of Court Ladies of Old...
She was downright about everything.1941, Emily Carr, “Skedans”, in Klee Wyck (Clarke Irwin Canadian Paperback Series; CI 9), centennial edition, Toronto, Ont.; Vancouver...

More sentences with downright

Being in the national press corps in some countries is downright dangerous.From the entry press corps
The piano was not simply out of tune, but had become downright tinny.From the entry tinny
The moldiness of the bread meant that it was unpalatable, if not downright inedible.From the entry moldiness
Those little leggies of yours make the trek to Orchid Avenue downright Tolkieny.2021, Bryan CP Steele, Shadowrun: Tourist Trapped, unnumbered page. From the entry Tolkieny
When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."February 6, 2013, Jackie MacMullan, article: Kobe Bryant Dishes on Celtics, ESPN online. From the entry talk trash
Why, the way they tried to outbelch each other was downright disgusting.2011, Julie Garwood, Saving Grace. From the entry outbelch
He continued chopping, and his grin was downright rascallike, purely unsuited to a God-fearing Presbyterian.2011, Linda Lael Miller, Daniel's Bride. From the entry rascallike
Knowing when the salumi is ready is also critical, if not downright nerve-racking.2010 October 14, Janny Hu, “Smulewitz 'living the dream' at Oakland's Dopo and Adesso (Jon Smulewitz finesses salumi at Dopo, Adesso)”, in…. From the entry salumi
On a pinboard filled with cute, kidsy designs, mine is dark, dangerous and downright scary.2009 June 4, Cathy Cassidy, Shine On, Daizy Star, Penguin UK, →ISBN. From the entry kidsy
Something as momentous—as downright mollyfogging, ripsnorting, billy-o blazes as this—required something more.2008 January 7, Elaine Hatfield, Richard L. Rapson, Hijacked!, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN. From the entry mollyfogging
She was a stunna before but now she's a downright bad chick.2006, Kali James, Can U Get Away?, →ISBN, page 83. From the entry stunna
I've always hated Robbie Williams downright stupid face, Hopefully the Gallaghers will break his legs aswell.2000 March 2, Harry 'snapper' Organs, “punchy face”, in alt.music.oasis (Usenet), archived from the original on 16 Sep 2025. From the entry punchy
Very likely it is the case that they find humanflesh unpalatable, or indigestible, or downright poisonous.1999 summer, Robert Silverberg, “Travelers”, in The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg, volume 9 (The Millennium Express: 1995-2009)…. From the entry humanflesh
Tempos are too rushed for effect, and the interpretation is downright delicate - totally inappropriate.1988, Peter Hugh Reed, American record guide: Volume 51. From the entry hooty
The stupid things that boylets did I downright just refused to.1963, Michigan's Voices - Volume 3, Issue 3, page 69. From the entry boylet
Many of the hattier hats, believe me, were downright gruesome.2021, Nadine Stewart, American Milliners and their World, page 166. From the entry hatty
You say that we’re spooky and ugly and creepy and crawly and icky and ewwy and downright gross.2020, Sophie Corrigan, The Not Bad Animals, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, →ISBN. From the entry ewwy
In comparison to what we use today, rag paper was downright luscious, often thick and soft to the touch.2017, J.P. Romney, Rebecca Romney, Printer's Error: Irreverent Stories of Books History, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 6. From the entry rag paper
When provoked, Greg can become downright pedantic.2015, Dane Mc Caslin, A Bird in the Hand, →ISBN. From the entry pedanticness
The Valley is getting downright cosmopolitan, but it’s unlikely the region will ever completely morph into a hip haven.2006 July 16, Marc Weingarten, “The San Fernando Valley? Hip? Like, Totally!”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry valley
It's downright exciting just to think about it!2005, Don Aslett, The office clutter cure: get organized, get results. From the entry realistically
The fact that you couldn't manage to do that and spell at the same time is downright pitiable.2000 February 16, Jens Ayton, “Re: [I] Book Review”, in alt.fan.pratchett (Usenet). From the entry floccinaucinihilipilificate
His interlocutor was whimsical if not downright fey.1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy. From the entry fey
Perhaps her looks were not considered downright repulsive.1979, Peter Drucker, The Man Who Invented Kissinger, John Wiley, published 1997, page 143. From the entry belle laide
Topped with fresh or stewed fruit, sugar and milk, WEET-BIX is the munchiest, crunchiest, most downright delicious breakfast you’ve ever tasted.1960 September 14, Weet-Bix, “Happy idea for better family breakfasts”, in The Australian Women’s Weekly, volume 28, number 15, Sydney…. From the entry munchy
One of them said that after this funambulatory experience he was downright seasick and hadn’t felt well since.1921, Philip Sanford Marden, chapter 8, in Sailing South, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, pages 106–107. From the entry funambulatory
The timber was huddling into little dense, green motts at rare distances before the inundation of the downright, vert prairies.1903 February, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “Hygeia at the Solito”, in Everybody’s Magazine, volume VIII, number 2, New…. From the entry mott
While your standard apple pie may have a juicy filling, most deep-dish pies are downright flooded, with the apples swimming in an ocean of liquid.2009, editors of Cook’s Illustrated, “Deep-Dish Apple Pie”, in More Best Recipes: A Best Recipe Classic, Brookline, Mass.: America’s Test…. From the entry applesaucey
You've gotten downright boring lately, Cody.1996, Gina Ferris Wilkins, chapter 1, in Cody’s Fiancée (Silhouette Special Edition; 1006), New York, N.Y.: Silhouette, →ISBN; republished…. From the entry staid
The Politician largely benefits from the heightened elements that are downright Murphian in tone and aesthetic: There’s no shortage of gloss, entitlement, absurdly decadent scenery, and intrigue, intrigue, intrigue.2019 September 23, Shannon Miller, “Ryan Murphy's The Politician is decadent, entertaining, but kind of a mess”, in The A.V. Club. From the entry Murphian
It's there, of course, in the downright lunatic stunts performed by Cruise, again defying good sense and his own advancing years to top his previous feats of reckless self-endangerment.2018 July 25, A. A. Dowd, “Fallout may be the Most Breathlessly Intense Mission: Impossible Adventure Yet”, in The A.V. Club, archived…. From the entry good sense
This letter, however, is Ellen Willmott writing in a style in which she felt much more comfortable: downright, partisan, battlesome and uncaring for the feelings of others.2012, Audrey Le Lièvre, Miss Willmott of Warley Place. From the entry battlesome
At one time the wool had embraced her body, flattered her breasts, and made her look downright boneable, but right now it hung on her like a thrift-shop find.2003, Jo-Ann Mapson, Along Came Mary, page 294. From the entry boneable
They’re not worth $4, but Andrews, launching the film with a Mary Poppinsesque “Polly-Wolly-Doodle” production number, is lovable, level-headed and downright cute, especially when tranquilized for the Great Unveiling.1981 July 10, Fred Herman, “‘S.O.B.,’ ‘Muppet’ — Adult comedy and a comedy for adults”, in The Modesto Bee, Modesto, Calif., page C-3. From the entry Mary Poppinsesque
Of horse players and the ragged army of grifters, touts and downright swindlers who attach themselves to the noble sport of kings there is no end of stories.1953, Mac Davis, Say it Ain't So!, page 149. From the entry chalk eater

Meaning of downright

adverb Completely, wholly.
adverb Of acts or speech: directly and unambiguously; clearly, plainly.
adverb Straight down; perpendicularly.

Full definition of downright

Questions about downright in a sentence

How do you use downright in a sentence?: Downright is used as an adverb, adjective and noun. For example: “He wasn’t just cool to me, he was downright rude.”
What is a short sentence with downright?: “She was downright about everything.”
What does downright mean?: Downright means completely, wholly.

Adapted from Wiktionary: downright (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use downright in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/downright. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.