downcast

down·cast/ˈdaʊnˌkæst/adjective, noun, verb

downcast is spelled D-O-W-N-C-A-S-T: 8 letters and 2 syllables (down·cast). It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 59,387th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, downcast means “Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.: looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in downcast?

Letters	8: D-O-W-N-C-A-S-T
Syllables	2: down·cast
In writing	about once in every 4 million words; the 59,387th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searched	none measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is downcast?

Downcast appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 59,387th most frequent word form in the list.

downcast0.0010.010.11101001,00010,000

rarerper million words of written Englishmore common

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce downcast?

UK /ˈdaʊnkɑːst/
UK /-kæst/
US /ˈdaʊnˌkæst/

As a verb (“To turn (the eyes) downwards, usually as a sign of…”): /ˈdaʊnkɑːst/, /-kæst/, /daʊnˈkɑːst/.

Downcast has 2 syllables, split down·cast in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-downcast1.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-downcast2.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of downcast

more downcast comparative
most downcast superlative
downcasts plural, present, singular, he/she/it
downcasting participle, present
downcasted participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does downcast mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

1
Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.: looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty.
2
Of a person or thing: cast or thrown to the ground.
3
Of a thing: directed downwards.
4
Of a person: feeling despondent or discouraged.
5
Of a person or thing: defeated, overthrown; also, destroyed, ruined.

noun

1
An act of looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty; hence (uncountable, archaic), dejection, melancholy.
2
archaicAn act, or the situation, of being cast or thrown to the ground.
3
archaicA defeat, an overthrow; also, an act of destruction or ruin.
4
A cast (“change of expression of a data type”) from supertype to subtype.
5
A ventilating shaft down which air passes in circulating through a mine.
6
obsoleteSynonym of downthrow (“a depression of the strata on one side of a fault; also, the degree of downward displacement in such a fault”).
a downcast dyke

verb

1
To turn (the eyes) downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty.
2
To cast or throw (something) downwards; also, to drop or lower (something).
3
To demolish or tear down (a building, etc.).
4
To make (someone) feel despondent or discouraged; to discourage, to sadden.
5
To cast (“change the expression of”) (a data type) from supertype to subtype.
6
ScotlandTo reproach or upbraid (someone); also, to taunt (someone).
7
obsoleteTo depose or overthrow (a leader, an institution, etc.); also (sometimes reflexive), to bring down (oneself or someone) from an exalted position; to humble.