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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of down-to-earth
Jamie Chung voiced a much different version of the character (Asian-American and living in a ’50s-esque Gotham City) on Batman: Caped Crusader, while Lady Gaga portrayed a more down-to-earth incarnation in Joker: Folie à Deux.
—
Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025
The community had a down-to-earth vibe, far from the glamour of Pacific Palisades where nannies driving children to elite private schools was common.
—Corina Knoll, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
In signing Cobb, the Tigers talked a lot about his down-to-earth personality and clubhouse influence.
—Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
The two had dinner with a mutual friend and she was disarmed by the YouTuber’s down-to-earth nature and intelligence.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for down-to-earth 
Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025
The community had a down-to-earth vibe, far from the glamour of Pacific Palisades where nannies driving children to elite private schools was common.
—Corina Knoll, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
In signing Cobb, the Tigers talked a lot about his down-to-earth personality and clubhouse influence.
—Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
The two had dinner with a mutual friend and she was disarmed by the YouTuber’s down-to-earth nature and intelligence.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for down-to-earth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for down-to-earth
Adjective
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Neville has always been humble about his playing career, instead pointing to the talent of those around him, from Cantona to Beckham and many others in between.—
Matt Slater,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
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Though Saturday Night excoriates Chase as a haughty frat-adjacent character and the actor’s reputation as being difficult to work with precedes him, an early writer paints a more humble picture.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That unpleasant character proposes Kasper join him and older, pragmatic Hasse (Christopher Wagelin) in robbing one of the city’s primary cash-handling operations, which services banks and other businesses.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
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Perceptions of Emery as a pragmatic manager are outdated — his squad-building suggests a more relaxed, free-wheeling approach.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Misty is really Joe Brown, a meek hotel accountant, but after 30 minutes with makeup, a fantastic outfit, and big hair — shazzam!—
Sandra Dallas,
The Denver Post,
2 Feb. 2025
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Flip-up covers on the front and rear boxes open up a pair of rather meek storage areas for carrying your shopping bags around, and the rear cover makes a small concession to comfort, revealing a half-inch thick seat pad when it's fully flipped open.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Yet others are realistic: any action here will anger some corner of the Democratic coalition that, at the moment, is far from unified or confident that their team in Washington knows what’s next.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
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What is realistic is that Israel maintains permanent control over millions of Palestinians who lack basic rights and, indeed, moves toward the destruction of the Palestinian people through active expulsion and death.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Standout benefits: This account earns a modest amount of interest on your balance and doesn’t require a minimum.—
Andreina Rodriguez,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
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Meanwhile, in Glendale, Ariz., where Hoyer’s friend Chris Getz is running the show, the hope for the White Sox is much more modest.—
Jon Greenberg,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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These exercises can involve bodyweight movements, resistance bands, free weights, or stability equipment to challenge your muscles in a dynamic and practical way.—
Kelly Burch Published,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
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The scheme was deprecated by NIST following research in 2016 that showed it could be broken in practical attacks to decrypt web and VPN traffic.—
Ashley Belanger,
Ars Technica,
6 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Down-to-earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/down-to-earth. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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