Debbie Downer
noun
Deb·bie Down·er
ˈde-bē-ˈdau̇-nər
plural Debbie Downers
informal
: a negative or pessimistic person : a person who speaks only of the bad or depressing aspects of something and lessens the enthusiasm or pleasure of others
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but news headlines in the past few years have been … well, grim.—Melissa Hank
"If this is all supposed to be a big joke perpetuated on residents, I expect they probably violated the law to pull it off," said [Barbara] Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation. "I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but seriously, I don't think they thought this through."—Associated Press
I'm always the Debbie Downer and I'm always Mr. Negative … I call it like I see it.—Brent Venables
Cite this Entry
“Debbie Downer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Debbie%20Downer. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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