Down | Meaning, Examples & Part of Speech
Down is a very frequently used word in the English language. In everyday use, it often functions as an adverb or preposition, but it can also be an adjective, noun, or even a verb.
If you need help identifying the part of speech of the word “down” in a sentence, ask Quillbot’s free AI Chat.
| Example | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Paint spilled on the hallway floor and ran slowly down the steps. | Preposition | From high to low |
| Roll the paint up and down evenly on the wall. | Adverb | From high to low |
| There’s a laundromat just down the street. | Preposition | Along |
| It’s a bit farther down, just past the church. | Adverb | Along |
| They’re driving down to visit him this weekend. | Adverb | Southward |
| I think I got all the important information down. | Adverb (or the particle of a phrasal verb) | On paper/in writing |
| Let’s meet down at the harbor. | Adverb | To a local place |
| I couldn’t upload it because the website was down. | Adjective | Temporarily not functioning |
| Is this comforter filled with down? | Noun | Soft bird feathers |
| She poured herself a glass of water from the faucet, downed it, and refilled the glass while she caught her breath. | Verb | Drink or eat quickly |
Key takeaways
- “Down” often functions as an adverb or preposition indicating movement from a higher to a lower position or movement along a route.
- It can also be an adjective, noun, or verb, with meanings such as “not functioning,” “soft bird feathers,” and “eat or drink quickly.”
- In phrasal verbs such as “let down,” “back down,” and “turn down,” the word “down” is the particle of a phrasal verb.
Down adverb
As an adverb, the word “down” often indicates movement to a lower position or location, as in the sentence “The kids ran down to the beach.”
One way to identify if “down” is an adverb in this kind of sentence is to check if it has a prepositional object by asking “Down what?” If you can answer this question using the words that immediately follow “down,” it’s probably a preposition, not an adverb.
In “The kids ran down to the beach,” “to the beach” doesn’t answer the question “Down what?” However, in “The kids ran down the hill,” the answer is “the hill,” so “down” is a preposition.
| Down as an adverb | Down as a preposition |
|---|---|
| Paul climbed down from the tree. | Paul climbed down the tree trunk. |
| But the ball continued to roll down slowly. | The ball rolled slowly down the driveway. |
| I dropped my keys, and they fell down into the drain. | I dropped my keys, and they fell down the drain. |
Down in phrasal verbs
When “down” combines with a verb to form a distinct meaning, as in “let someone down,” this combination is commonly termed a phrasal verb. In this case, “down” is the “particle” of the phrasal verb, rather than an adverb.
[Phrasal verb “let down,” meaning “to disappoint someone by failing to do what they expected”]
There is no indication that the union intends to back down and call off the strike.
[Phrasal verb “back down,” meaning “to withdraw a demand or position, especially after opposition”]
I asked the neighbors to turn down their music.
[Phrasal verb “turn down,” meaning “to reduce the volume, heat, or power of a device”]
For example, “let someone down” is generally treated as a phrasal verb when it means “disappoint someone,” because this meaning isn’t very obvious given the usual meanings of the separate words “let” and “down.”
Other grammars and dictionaries use a broader definition that includes non-idiomatic uses. For example, they might treat “fall down” as a phrasal verb when the meaning is “fall to the ground” (e.g., “An apple fell down right next to where I was sitting”).
Down adjective
As an adjective, “down” can mean “slightly depressed” when referring to a person and “temporarily not working or unavailable” when referring to a machine or system.
The server’s down again, so I’m heading home early.
Down noun
As a noun, “down” can mean “soft bird feathers” and an “attempt to advance the ball” in gridiron football.
The referee signaled a first down for the Jets.
Down verb
As a verb, the word “down” can mean “make something fall to the ground” and “eat or drink very quickly.”
You’ll get indigestion if you down your food like that without chewing properly.
Double down meaning
Double down is a phrasal verb that means to continue doing something but now with even greater determination.
We should double down on our efforts, not give in at the first sign of difficulty.
Frequently asked questions about the word down
- Is down a preposition?
-
The word down can function as a preposition, with meanings including “along” and “from high to low.” For example:
- “Go down the hall and turn right.”
- “We walked down the steps to the beach.”
Quillbot’s free AI Chat can help you identify the part of speech of the word “down” in a sentence.
- Is down an adverb?
-
The part of speech of the word down can be an adverb, with meanings including “from high to low” and “southward.” For example:
- “This would be a perfect hill to roll down.”
- “We’re driving down to visit them on Sunday.”
Use Quillbot’s free online Grammar Checker to help keep your text typo-free.
- Is down an adjective?
-
The part of speech of the word down can be an adjective, with meanings including “depressed” and “temporarily unavailable for use.” For instance:
- “That movie always cheers me up if I’m feeling a little down.”
- “The internet was down for a couple of hours at work today.”
Fix grammar errors and communicate with greater clarity using Quillbot’s free AI-powered Grammar Checker.
- Is down a verb?
-
The word down can function as a verb, with meanings including “drink or eat quickly” and “make something fall to the ground.” For example:
- “She finished her pancake and downed the small glass of orange juice.”
- “Eyewitnesses reported that an aircraft had been downed during the battle.”
You can ask Quillbot’s free AI Chat to help you identify the part of speech of the word “down” in a sentence.
- Is down a noun?
-
The word down can function as a noun, with meanings including “small, soft feathers” and “a chance to advance the ball” in gridiron football. For example:
- “Is this comforter filled with duck or goose down?”
- “On fourth down, they decided to attempt a field goal.”
Not sure what part of speech “down” is in a sentence? Ask Quillbot’s free AI Chat to help you identify it.
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Challenger, T. (2026, August 07). Down | Meaning, Examples & Part of Speech. Quillbot. Retrieved August 10, 2026, from https://quillbot.com/blog/sentence-and-word-structure/down/
