1
: practical
down-to-earth traveling tips
2
: unpretentious
surprised to find the movie star so down-to-earth
down-to-earthness noun

Examples of down-to-earth in a Sentence

we were all impressed by how down-to-earth the movie star turned out to be a down-to-earth guidance counselor who is frank in telling students which colleges they're likely to get into
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The town feels down-to-earth, even while offering excellent restaurants, incredible scenery and year-round activities for every age. Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 This down-to-earth transit is all about rolling up your sleeves and diving into the nitty gritty, leaving no room for half-hearted efforts and procrastination. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 17 June 2025 Mayor Eric Adams has endeared some people with his young-leaning personality, but his attempts at being down-to-earth have also gotten him into multiple pickles over the years. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 17 June 2025 Despite Brentford’s success, Frank has stayed down-to-earth. Jay Harris, New York Times, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of down-to-earth was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down-to-earth. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

down-to-earth

adjective
ˌdau̇n-tə-ˈ(w)ərth
1
: practical sense 3
down-to-earth advice
2
: unpretentious
a down-to-earth person
down-to-earthness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on down-to-earth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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