lower

/ˈləʊə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈləʊər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlau̇(-ə)r ˈlō-ər/ (ame, mw)

lower — verb

  • lowerpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • lowershe / she / it
  • loweredpast simple
  • lowering-ing form

1. to move a person or thing from a higher position to a place that is nearer the g

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to move a person or thing from a higher position to a place that is nearer the ground.

例句

The nurse gently lowered the sleeping baby into the crib.

lower + direct object + adverb phrase of direction

Christopher lowered the bucket into the well until it touched the water.

同義詞
  • drop

    implies letting go or falling freely; 'lower' suggests controlled movement

  • bring down

    more informal, phrasal verb; similar meaning

  • let down

    emphasizes releasing from a higher position, e.g. letting down a rope

反義詞
  • raise

    to move something to a higher position

  • lift

    to move something upward, often with effort

文法句型

lower + noun phrase

lower + noun phrase + adverb/preposition

常見錯誤

❌I lowered down the box.
✅I lowered the box.
💡'lower' already includes the idea of moving down, so 'down' is unnecessary unless specifying a path.

2. to make something smaller in amount, level, or degree — for example, reducing a

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to make something smaller in amount, level, or degree — for example, reducing a price, the volume of a radio, or the temperature of a room.

例句

The supermarket lowered the price of milk to attract more customers.

lower + price (price/cost/fee common objects)

Vikram lowered the volume on his headphones so he could hear the doorbell.

同義詞
  • reduce

    very similar; 'reduce' is slightly more formal and common with abstract nouns

  • cut

    implies a sharper or more deliberate reduction, common with prices and budgets

  • decrease

    more formal; can be used both transitively and intransitively

反義詞
  • raise

    to increase the level or amount of something

  • increase

    to make something larger in amount or degree

文法句型

lower + noun phrase (price/cost/temperature/volume)

用法筆記

Commonly used with numerical or measurable nouns such as price, cost, rate, temperature, volume, speed, and level. Unlike 'decrease' or 'reduce', 'lower' is rarely followed by a number directly ('lowered the cost by 10%' is fine; 'lowered 10%' alone is not).

常見錯誤

❌It rained a lot and the temperature lowered.
✅It rained a lot and the temperature dropped/fell.
💡'lower' is normally transitive; use 'drop' or 'fall' for intransitive meanings.

3. to damage the quality, standard, or reputation of something so that it is not as

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to damage the quality, standard, or reputation of something so that it is not as good as it used to be.

例句

Repeated budget cuts lowered the quality of education at the school.

lower + quality/standard (abstract nouns of value)

Sora felt that the new reality show lowered the level of television programming.

同義詞
  • degrade

    stronger; implies serious damage to quality or dignity

  • worsen

    general-purpose; can be transitive or intransitive

  • cheapen

    specifically about reducing value or worth

反義詞
  • improve

    to make something better

  • raise

    to increase the level or standard of something

文法句型

lower + noun phrase (standards/quality/morale)

用法筆記

Subject is often an action, event, or policy. The object is typically an abstract noun denoting a standard (quality, value, level, tone, morale). Distinguish from sense 2 (REDUCE), where the change is neutral or desirable (lowering price) — here the change is always negative.

常見錯誤

❌The hot weather lowered my mood.
✅The hot weather worsened my mood / brought down my mood.
💡'lower' in this sense applies more to standards/quality than to personal feelings.

4. to do something that causes others to hold a worse opinion of you — for instance

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to do something that causes others to hold a worse opinion of you — for instance, lying, cheating, or acting in a way you know is wrong.

例句

Amani refused to lie to the clients because she would not lower herself that way.

lower + reflexive pronoun (oneself/yourself)

The politician lowered himself in the public's eyes by accepting bribes.

同義詞
  • debase

    more formal and stronger; to reduce someone's moral standing

  • humiliate

    focuses on causing shame; can be done to oneself or by others

  • stoop

    similar meaning; 'stoop to something' implies doing something normally beneath one's standards

文法句型

lower + oneself/yourself

lower + oneself + by + gerund

用法筆記

Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun (oneself, yourself, himself, herself). The pattern 'lower oneself to + gerund' is common ('lowered himself to begging'). Negative constructions ('would not lower myself') are especially frequent.

常見錯誤

❌He lowered his reputation.
✅He lowered himself in people's eyes.
💡The reflexive pattern is the standard form; 'lower someone's reputation' is not natural.

5. (of the sky or clouds) to become dark and threatening in a way that suggests a s

5.動詞不及物B2
釋義

(of the sky or clouds) to become dark and threatening in a way that suggests a storm is coming.

例句

The sky lowered as the storm clouds rolled in from the east.

the sky + lower (subject is always sky/clouds)

Lakshmi looked up at the lowering sky and decided to bring an umbrella.

同義詞
  • darken

    more common; describes the sky growing darker for any reason

  • grow dark

    descriptive phrase, less literary

  • threaten

    as in 'the sky threatened rain'; personification

文法句型

the sky + lowers

lower + (in subject-verb only)

用法筆記

Restricted to literary or descriptive writing. The subject must be 'the sky', 'the heavens', or 'clouds'. This sense is never used with a direct object and rarely appears in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌The weather lowered.
✅The sky lowered.
💡Only 'sky' or 'heavens' works as the subject; 'weather' is too broad.

6. to look angry, annoyed, or displeased by pulling your eyebrows together and turn

6.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to look angry, annoyed, or displeased by pulling your eyebrows together and turning down the corners of your mouth.

例句

The old man lowered at the children who were making noise outside his window.

lower + at + someone (target of displeasure)

Ilan lowered at the menu when he saw how expensive the dishes were.

同義詞
  • frown

    most common word; can mean any expression of concentration or displeasure

  • scowl

    shows clear anger or disapproval; stronger than 'frown'

  • glower

    to stare angrily; implies the eyes more than the mouth

反義詞
  • smile

    to show pleasure or amusement with the mouth

文法句型

lower + at + noun phrase

用法筆記

Very rare in modern English; 'scowl' and 'frown' are far more common. This sense and the noun sense (FROWN) share the same etymological root, distinct from the other verb senses. Typically followed by 'at' to indicate the target of displeasure.

常見錯誤

❌She lowered at me because I was late.
✅She frowned/scowled at me because I was late.
💡'lower' in this sense is so rare that most native speakers would misunderstand it.

lower — adjective

lower — noun