How to pronounce downright
Say it like DOWN-ryte. Downright has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOWN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce downright. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DOWN
- ryte
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Downright pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DOWNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- ryteGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of downright
American and British speakers say downright in essentially the same way: /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/ in the US and /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: DOWN-ryte.
What does downright mean?
- Completely, wholly.“He wasn’t just cool to me, he was downright rude.”
- Absolute, complete.
- Of a person or their behavior: direct, plain, straightforward; also, of speech: direct and unambiguous; blunt, to the point.
Where does downright come from?
The adjective and noun are derived from the adverb.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying downright
How do you pronounce downright?
Say DOWN-ryte. The American pronunciation is /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/. In British English it is /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in downright?
Downright has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DOWN). Broken into parts: DOWN · ryte.
Do Americans and Brits say downright the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/ and the British form is /ˈdaʊnˌraɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.