down-and-out

adjective

ˈdau̇n-ən(d)-ˈau̇t How to pronounce down-and-out (audio)
Synonyms of down-and-outnext
1
: destitute, impoverished
2
: physically weakened or incapacitated
down-and-out noun
or down-and-outer

Synonyms of down-and-out

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Examples of down-and-out in a Sentence

I'm over the flu, but I still feel down-and-out a soup kitchen where the down-and-out daily line up for a hot meal
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not so long ago, Pratt seemed down-and-out and was selling crystals to make a living. — Louis Staples, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026 The rather down-and-out-looking fellow in front of me was buying a handful of lottery tickets. — Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026 The first pictures McCullin took were of hoodlums and down-and-outs, subjects that reflected his own hardscrabble background. — Andrew Pulver, Air Mail, 31 Jan. 2026 Three years later, the two actors reunited for an even messier love story, the down-and-out souls of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for down-and-out

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of down-and-out was in 1894

Rhymes for down-and-out

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Browse Nearby Words

down and dirty
down-and-out
down at heel
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Cite this Entry

“Down-and-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down-and-out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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