low-down

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Of a person, worthless, contemptibly of no value; despicable.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Seemingly here was an intruder who was violating custom. Moreover, the partners had come to look upon this exceedingly rich district as their exclusive property. And so their indignation was extreme. "The low-down, ornery cuss!" said Dobbs. "The nerve of him, crowdin' in on us, just as if there wasn

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “low-down” mean?

Of a person, worthless, contemptibly of no value; despicable.

Is “low-down” formal or informal?

low-down is generally slang.