Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

down-to-earth

/ˌdaʊn.ɾəˈɚθ/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.00 in modern English

Syllables: down--to-earth
IPA: /ˌdaʊn.ɾəˈɚθ/

18

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Practical; realistic; pragmatic.

adj

Ordinary; normal; run-of-the-mill.

Example Sentences

"He had a down-to-earth attitude that translated into a straightforward, but effective strategy."
""I'm sorry, but I'm not going to devote any of tonight's news to evil monkey shenanigans unless you can find something more down to earth to focus your report on.""
"Relatable is to TikTok what aspirational was to Instagram—its most salient, sought-after quality. It signals a down-to-earth, democratic appeal."

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌdaʊn.ɾəˈɚθ/

Inflected Forms

down to earth (alternative)

Phrases

down-to-earther down-to-earthness

Synonyms

have one's feet on the ground earth-bound earthy

Antonyms

have one's head in the clouds out of touch

Questions

How do you pronounce down-to-earth?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌdaʊn.ɾəˈɚθ/.
What does down-to-earth mean?: Practical; realistic; pragmatic.

How to pronounce down-to-earth

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “down-to-earth”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌdaʊn.ɾəˈɚθ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “down-to-earth”.
Repeat and practice — Say “down-to-earth” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.