down-low
noun
Phrases
the down-low
: a state or condition of secrecy
—usually used in the phrase on the down-low
Alcindor was able to keep his drug use on the down-low, but Allen was not so lucky.—
Seth Davis
Seth DavisThe spot was called Houston's. Dimly lit, it was a restaurant on the down-low.—Sister Souljah
—abbreviation DL
Sister SouljahExamples of down-low in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Keep your crabby comments and compulsive shopping on the down-low — at least for those 10 days.
—Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 20 Oct. 2023
The space opened on the relatively down-low, but should be operational most nights at 5 p.m., serving as a low-key way to escape the parks and add a welcome elevated bar space to the resort.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2023
Kelly Reilly’s Yellowstone character Beth Dutton may be very open about her relationship with Rip Wheeler, but the actress is known for keeping her real-life romance with husband Kyle Baugher on the down-low.
—Emma Kershaw, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
Che is on board, but asks the couple to stay on the down-low to avoid issues with their building manager.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 3 Aug. 2023
Today, Kennedy is trying to keep this record on the down-low, in favor of a more mainstream vibe on the stump.
—Time, 5 July 2023
In the following years, the singer and Aydin kept their relationship on the down-low, save for occasional posts on social media.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2023
That's probably also the reason why the documentation about the MCAS system was kept on the down-low.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Apr. 2019
Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 20 Oct. 2023
The space opened on the relatively down-low, but should be operational most nights at 5 p.m., serving as a low-key way to escape the parks and add a welcome elevated bar space to the resort.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2023
Kelly Reilly’s Yellowstone character Beth Dutton may be very open about her relationship with Rip Wheeler, but the actress is known for keeping her real-life romance with husband Kyle Baugher on the down-low.
—Emma Kershaw, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023
Che is on board, but asks the couple to stay on the down-low to avoid issues with their building manager.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 3 Aug. 2023
Today, Kennedy is trying to keep this record on the down-low, in favor of a more mainstream vibe on the stump.
—Time, 5 July 2023
In the following years, the singer and Aydin kept their relationship on the down-low, save for occasional posts on social media.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2023
That's probably also the reason why the documentation about the MCAS system was kept on the down-low.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Apr. 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'down-low.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near down-low
Cite this Entry
“Down-low.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down-low. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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