bringdown: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low, InformalInformal/Slang
Quick answer
What does “bringdown” mean?
A person, event, or thing that causes depression, disappointment, or a reduction in mood or status.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, event, or thing that causes depression, disappointment, or a reduction in mood or status.
A disappointment or failure; someone who spoils the mood of others; also, a deliberate act of humbling or disparagement. In informal US contexts, can refer to a comedown from drugs.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun 'bringdown' is more established in American informal use. In British English, the phrasal verb 'bring down' is standard, but the noun 'bringdown' is very rare and would likely be understood as Americanism.
Connotations
In American English, it's a dated slang term (peaked mid-20th century), often associated with counterculture. In British English, it has negligible independent connotations.
Frequency
The noun is extremely low frequency in British English; the concept is expressed with terms like 'disappointment', 'downer', or 'letdown'. In American English, it remains in passive vocabulary but is not common in contemporary speech.
Grammar
How to Use “bringdown” in a Sentence
be + a bringdownprove to be a bringdownconsider something a bringdownturn into a bringdownVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bringdown” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The scandal could bring down the government.
- He aims to bring down his opponent's argument.
American English
- The new regulations will bring down costs.
- They're trying to bring down the system from within.
adverb
British English
- No adverbial form exists.
American English
- No adverbial form exists.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use. 'Downbringing' is not a word.
American English
- He had a real bringdown attitude after the loss. (Very informal/non-standard)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in informal conversation, often with a slightly dated or ironic tone. e.g., 'Missing the flight was a total bringdown.'
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bringdown”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bringdown”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bringdown”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'It bringdowns me' – incorrect; correct: 'It brings me down').
- Confusing it with the verb phrase 'to bring down' (to cause to fall).
- Using it in formal writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, informal noun, more recognized in American English than British. The related phrasal verb 'bring down' is extremely common.
No. The correct verb form is the separable phrasal verb 'bring down' (e.g., bring something down, bring someone down). 'Bringdown' is only a noun.
They are close synonyms. 'Letdown' often emphasizes failing to meet expectations (anticlimax). 'Bringdown' can more strongly imply an active agent or event that depresses mood or status.
Yes, it is informal and dated slang. It is not suitable for academic, professional, or formal writing.
A person, event, or thing that causes depression, disappointment, or a reduction in mood or status.
Bringdown is usually informal/slang in register.
Bringdown: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪŋ.daʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪŋ.daʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “That's a real bringdown.”
- “What a bringdown!”
- “to be a bringdown on the party”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone BRINGing the mood DOWN at a party. They are a BRING-DOWN person, a 'bringdown'.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL STATE IS PHYSICAL POSITION (Low mood is down).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the noun 'bringdown' be LEAST appropriate?