downer

Thân thiện

A doctor prescribes a downer to help the patient relax.

Definition

Noun: 1. A depressant drug; a sedative: A substance, especially a drug, that reduces nervousness, excitement, or energy, and has a calming or depressing effect on the central nervous system. 2. A depressing or dispiriting experience; a bummer: An event, situation, or piece of news that causes feelings of sadness, disappointment, or low spirits.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Drug):
  • The doctor prescribed a mild downer to help with her anxiety.
  • Mixing alcohol with downers is extremely dangerous.
• Noun (Experience):
  • Losing the championship was a real downer for the whole team.
  • His constant complaining is such a downer at parties.

Advanced Usage

• "Come down/come downer": While "come down" is the standard phrase for the unpleasant feeling after drug effects wear off, "downer" can be used informally in a similar context to describe that low state.
  • After the concert, the quiet house felt like a real downer.

Variants and Related Words

• Down (adj/informal): Feeling sad or depressed.
  • She's been feeling really down since she heard the news.
• Sedative (n): A more formal or medical term for a drug that calms or induces sleep.
• Depressant (n): A technical term for a substance that reduces functional activity, especially in the nervous system.

Synonyms

• Sedative, tranquilizer, depressant (for the drug meaning).
• Bummer, disappointment, letdown, drag (for the experience meaning).

Antonyms

• Upper, stimulant (for the drug meaning).
• Pick-me-up, boost, high point (for the experience meaning).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Bring someone down": To cause someone to feel sad or depressed.
  • Don't let his negative comments bring you down.
• "Down in the dumps": Feeling unhappy or depressed.
  • He's been down in the dumps since his pet died.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a drug that reduces excitability and calms a person

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sedative
• sedative drug
• depressant