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PlainSpell

low

UK /ˈləʊ/adjective, noun, adverb, verb

low is spelled L-O-W: 3 letters and one syllable. It appears 214 times per million words in written English, the 471st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). People search “lo vs low” about 10 times a month (Bing, United States). As an adjective, low means “Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in low?

Letters3: L-O-W
Syllables1 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing214 times per million words; the 471st most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Pairs people search
Sounds like
Rhymes with
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is low?

Low appears 214 times per million words in written English, the 471st most frequent word form in the list.

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

How do you pronounce low?

  • UK /ˈləʊ/
  • /ˈlo/
  • /ˈlou/

As a verb (“To moo”): /ləʊ/, /loʊ/.

As a verb (“Alternative form of 'low”): /laʊ/.

Low has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-low.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Words people confuse with low

Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).

lo vs low10 B

Sounds like: lo (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).

Also written: lowe.

Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

What rhymes with low?

The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as low from its last stressed vowel (/əʊ/, British pronunciation):

Spelled with the same letters in another order: owl.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of low

  • lower comparative
  • lowest superlative
  • lows plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • lowing participle, present
  • lowed participle, past
  • lowe
  • lawe
  • 'lows present, singular, he/she/it
  • 'lowing participle, present
  • 'lowed participle, past

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

What does low mean?

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

adjective

  1. 1

    Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.

    standing on low ground

  2. 2

    Pertaining to (or, especially of a language: spoken in) in an area which is at a lesser elevation, closer to sea level (especially near the sea), than other regions.

    the low countries

  3. 3

    Below the batter's knees.

    the pitch (or: the ball) was low

  4. 4

    Of less than normal height or upward extent or growth, or of greater than normal depth or recession; below the average or normal level from which elevation is measured.

    a low bow

  5. 5

    Low-cut.

  6. 6

    Not high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.)

    low birth

  7. 7

    Humble, meek, not haughty.

  8. 8

    Disparaging; assigning little value or excellence.

    She had a low opinion of cats. He took a low view of dogs.

noun

  1. 1

    A low point or position, literally (as, a depth) or figuratively (as, a nadir, a time when things are at their worst, least, minimum, etc).

    You have achieved a new low in behavior, Frank.

  2. 2

    The minimum atmospheric temperature recorded at a particular location, especially during one 24-hour period.

    Today's low was 32 °F.

  3. 3

    A period of depression; a depressed mood or situation.

    He is in a low right now. the highs and lows of bipolar disorder

  4. 4

    informalAn area of low pressure; a depression.

    A deep low is centred over the British Isles.

  5. 5

    The lowest-speed gearing of a power-transmission system, especially of an automotive vehicle.

    Shift out of low before the car gets to eight miles per hour.

  6. 6

    The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.

  7. 7

    slangA cheap, cost-efficient, or advantageous price.

    He got the brand new Yankees jersey for the low.

  8. 8

    ScotlandUKA flame; fire; blaze.

  9. 9

    archaicobsoleteBarrow, mound, tumulus.

  10. 10

    archaicA hill.

adverb

  1. 1

    Close to the ground.

  2. 2

    Of a pitch, at a lower frequency.

  3. 3

    With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently.

    to speak low

  4. 4

    Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply.

    He sold his wheat low.

  5. 5

    In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.

  6. 6

    In a time approaching our own.

  7. 7

    In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution.

    The moon runs low, i.e. comparatively near the horizon when on or near the meridian.

verb

  1. 1

    To moo.

    The cattle were lowing.

  2. 2

    ScotlandUKTo burn; to blaze.

    Driest wood will eithest low,

  3. 3

    obsoleteTo lower; to make low.

    I shall only say this, that all the other graces must low the sail to faith, and so it is faith must carry us through, being that last triumphing grace, […]

  4. 4

    Alternative form of 'low.

noun

as LOW
  1. 1

    Acronym of launch on warning.

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

How do you abbreviate low?

Wiktionary records 2 abbreviations of low: L, LO.

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

Low in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchbas (in a position comparatively close to the ground), déprimé (depressed, sad), faible, petit (not high in amount or quantity), dépression (depressed mood or situation), basse pression (area of low pressure)
Germanniedrig (in a position comparatively close to the ground), niedergeschlagen (depressed, sad), schwach (not high in amount or quantity), Tief (area of low pressure), tief (of pitch), leise (quiet; soft; not loud)
Portuguesebaixo (in a position comparatively close to the ground), vil (despicable)
Spanishbajo (in a position comparatively close to the ground), decaído, cabizbajo, abatido, de capa caída (depressed, sad), módico (not high in amount or quantity)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does low come from?

From Middle English lah, loue, from Old Norse lágr (“low”), from Proto-Germanic *lēgaz (“low; flat”), from *ligjaną (“to lie; to lead”), from Proto-Indo-European *légʰyeti (“to be lying down”), from *legʰ- (“to lie”).

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

What to look up after low