downstairs

1 of 3

adverb

down·​stairs ˈdau̇n-ˈsterz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
Synonyms of downstairsnext
: down the stairs : on or to a lower floor

downstairs

2 of 3

adjective

down·​stairs ˈdau̇n-ˌsterz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
: situated on the main, lower, or ground floor of a building

downstairs

3 of 3

noun

down·​stairs ˈdau̇n-ˈsterz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
ˈdau̇n-ˌsterz
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: the lower floor of a building

Examples of downstairs in a Sentence

Adverb He ran downstairs to answer the door. He lives downstairs from us. “Where are the kids?” “They're downstairs.” Adjective There are five downstairs rooms.
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.
Adverb
Horner and his wife lived upstairs, while Castle lived downstairs. — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Afterward, members went downstairs for a spaghetti lunch in the church basement, served by the scouts. — Noam Levey, NPR, 28 June 2026
Adjective
The old ticket office will be a downstairs bar. — Alan Gionet, CBS News, 11 June 2026 Because its site slopes steeply, the house has upstairs and downstairs entrances. — Dean Kaufman, Curbed, 30 June 2026
Noun
Let the schmuck tumble downstairs with a happy clash of cymbals. — Christian Wiman, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 These are the neighborhood coffee shop, the sweet green downstairs. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downstairs

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1598, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1702, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downstairs was in 1598

Phrases Containing downstairs

Rhymes for downstairs

See All Rhymes for downstairs

Browse Nearby Words

downstage
downstairs
downstart
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downstairs. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

downstairs

1 of 3 adverb
down·​stairs ˈdau̇n-ˈsta(ə)rz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
-ˈste(ə)rz
: down the stairs : on or to a lower floor

downstairs

2 of 3 adjective
down·​stairs -ˌsta(ə)rz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
-ˌste(ə)rz
: situated on a lower level or on the main or first floor

downstairs

3 of 3 singular or plural noun
down·​stairs ˈdau̇n-ˈsta(ə)rz How to pronounce downstairs (audio)
-ˈste(ə)rz, 
-ˌsta(ə)rz, 
-ˌste(ə)rz
: the lower floor of a building

More from Merriam-Webster on downstairs

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for downstairs

Nglish: Translation of downstairs for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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