downcast

/ˈdaʊnkɑːst/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdaʊnkæst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdau̇n-ˌkast/ (ame, mw)

downcast — adjective

  • downcastpositive
  • more downcastcomparative
  • most downcastsuperlative

1. unhappy and discouraged, as if recent events have taken away your hope or confid

1.形容詞C1
釋義

unhappy and discouraged, as if recent events have taken away your hope or confidence.

例句

After the interview, Sari looked downcast on the bus home.

look downcast after a disappointing event

Rachid grew downcast when the team lost its last chance to qualify.

grow downcast when hopes collapse

同義詞
  • sad

    more general and more common in everyday speech

  • dejected

    stronger and more formal, with a heavier sense of defeat

  • gloomy

    can describe a low mood, but also often suggests dark expectations

反義詞
  • cheerful

    suggests visible brightness and good spirits

  • hopeful

    focuses on positive expectation about what comes next

文法句型

feel downcast

look downcast after bad news

用法筆記

Usually describes a person's mood, face, or voice after disappointment or bad news. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 focuses on sadness or discouragement, not simply on looking downward.

常見錯誤

❌The forecast says tomorrow will be downcast.
✅The forecast says tomorrow will be gloomy.
💡'downcast' describes a person's mood or expression, not cloudy weather.
❌The empty classroom felt downcast after school.
✅The empty classroom felt bleak after school.
💡this adjective normally describes people, faces, or voices rather than places.

2. with the eyes turned toward the ground instead of meeting another person's face.

2.形容詞C1
釋義

with the eyes turned toward the ground instead of meeting another person's face.

例句

Christopher kept his downcast eyes on the floor during the apology.

downcast eyes in a shameful moment

When the teacher asked who broke the vase, Darius stood with downcast eyes.

stand with downcast eyes

同義詞
  • lowered

    more neutral and purely physical

  • averted

    stresses turning the eyes away from another person

  • bowed

    often used of the whole head rather than just the eyes

反義詞
  • level

    describes eyes kept straight ahead

  • direct

    adds a sense of openly meeting someone's gaze

文法句型

downcast eyes

keep one's eyes downcast

用法筆記

Most often modifies eyes, a gaze, or a face in moments of shame, sadness, or obedience. Distinguish from sense 1: here the physical direction of the eyes matters, even when the emotion is only implied.

常見錯誤

❌He gave me a downcast reply.
✅He gave me a downcast look.
💡this sense normally describes the direction of someone's eyes or gaze, not spoken words.
❌She looked downcast at me from the balcony.
✅She looked down at me from the balcony.
💡sense 2 is about eyes lowered toward the ground, not simply looking from a higher place.