1
as in humble
not having or showing any feelings of superiority, self-assertiveness, or showiness
we were all impressed by how down-to-earth the movie star turned out to be
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly
a down-to-earth guidance counselor who is frank in telling students which colleges they're likely to get into
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Recent Examples of down-to-earth
But thanks to the friendship of a down-to-earth priest (Peter Facinelli, who also produced) with problems of his own, Scott straightens himself out and learns to experience gratitude and joy even under the most difficult circumstances.
—
Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church in 2013, has been known for his down-to-earth leadership, outspoken support of marginalized communities and interreligious dialogue.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
Bostwick grew up in Wyoming and cultivated a down-to-earth mien.
—Katie Roiphe Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Which means this year, there's lots of ads designed to put a human, down-to-earth face on major technology products (Google Pixel's Gemini A.I.), pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer and Novartis), fast food conglomerates (Little Caesars and Doritos) and even gambling (Bet MGM and Fanduel).
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church in 2013, has been known for his down-to-earth leadership, outspoken support of marginalized communities and interreligious dialogue.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
Bostwick grew up in Wyoming and cultivated a down-to-earth mien.
—Katie Roiphe Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Which means this year, there's lots of ads designed to put a human, down-to-earth face on major technology products (Google Pixel's Gemini A.I.), pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer and Novartis), fast food conglomerates (Little Caesars and Doritos) and even gambling (Bet MGM and Fanduel).
—Eric Deggans, NPR, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-earth
Adjective
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Assuming every other factor is the same, a bigger home with high-end materials will almost always cost more than one with a smaller floor plan and more humble finishes.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
11 Mar. 2025
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Some come from humble backgrounds, and modeling is something that totally changes their lives.—
Aamina Inayat Khan,
StyleCaster,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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One faction is taking a pragmatic approach that appeals to voters in the middle, while others want more action, such as protests and interruptions like U.S. Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) at the president's joint address to Congress.—
Mike Allen,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
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This state-federal split reflects a pragmatic approach designed to maintain market flexibility while ensuring sufficient regulatory oversight at the federal level.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The character, who started as a seemingly meek Secret Service agent of questionable talent, turned out to be a highly skilled assassin of questionable sanity.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
6 Mar. 2025
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Less impressive was the following game, a meek 0-1 loss to West Ham United, which ended the quest for a Premier League title and renewed the striker debate like never before.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Now in its 46th year, This Old House, originally hosted by Bob Vila, is a pioneer in the genre with a realistic renovation of projects on older homes, helpful information, a sense of authenticity, and a reliable source for DIY home improvement knowledge.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Users will be able to layer development proposals over realistic cityscapes, enabling them to see how new buildings would appear in relation to existing structures.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The decline was sharper than predicted by a Reuters poll of analysts, reversing January’s modest 0.5% increase and marking the first contraction since January 2024.—
John Liu,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
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Gloria, her shy and soft-spoken best friend, lives with her Ghanaian father in a modest apartment, rarely speaking to a mother who moved to Germany years ago.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What started as a practical swap in immigrant communities became a beloved holiday meal—one that still brings people together, even as its form continues to change.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
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Here's some step-by-step, practical advice about how to keep your toaster oven clean— and advice on how to clean it when all seems lost.—
Matthew Korfhage,
WIRED,
16 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to down-to-earth
Cite this Entry
“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-earth. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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