downright
downright Lexical Profile
downright Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
To an extreme or complete degree; thoroughly or utterly.
"The working conditions in the old factory were not merely uncomfortable; they were downright dangerous."
• adjective
So direct in statement as to be unambiguous; complete and total (used before a noun for emphasis, especially regarding something negative or unpleasant).
"Claiming that the project was finished on time was a downright lie."
Straightforward, candid, and blunt in manner or speech.
"Her downright manner sometimes startled newcomers, but everyone appreciated her honesty."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used as an intensifier (both as an attributive adjective and as an adverb), 'downright' most commonly modifies words with negative or unpleasant connotations (e.g., 'a downright lie', 'downright rude'), though it can occasionally emphasize surprising positive qualities.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'doun-right', originally an adverb meaning 'straight down' (as of a heavy blow), formed from 'down' and 'right'. By the 16th century, its sense shifted figuratively to mean 'direct, plain, and thorough'.