Down vs Lower

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Down

High-frequency chunk A1 adverb

Lower

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 verb

	Down	Lower
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/daʊn/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/daʊn/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈləʊə(r)/","/ˈləʊəz/","/ˈləʊəd/","/ˈləʊərɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈləʊər/","/ˈləʊərz/","/ˈləʊərd/","/ˈləʊərɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	A word meaning below or to lower something.	to make something less high or to decrease it
Example	She quickly ran down the hill.	The manager decided to lower the prices to attract more customers.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	B2
Part of speech	adverb	verb
Collocations	sit down, bring down, down the road	carefully, gently, gradually, into, onto, to, carefully, gently, gradually, into, onto, to
Antonyms	up, higher, above	raise, increase, elevate
Common mistakes	Confusing 'down' with 'up' when indicating direction., Using 'down' incorrectly with certain verbs like 'set down' instead of just 'set'., Using 'down' where a more specific preposition might be better, like 'beneath'.	Confused with 'lowered' when describing past actions., Incorrectly using 'lower' as an adjective instead of a verb., Mistaking 'lower' for 'less' in some contexts.
Usage notes	Use 'down' to indicate direction or position. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts but avoid using it in overly formal writing where more specific terms might be required.	Use 'lower' when referring to reducing something physically or metaphorically. It’s appropriate in most contexts, but avoid using it in overly formal writing.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The lower level's in flames.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Did you lower the control rods or not?

The Pitt › S1 E1

We gave you medicine to lower your potassium,

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The lower level's in flames.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

Did you lower the control rods or not?

Lower

Frequently asked questions: Down vs Lower

What's the difference between Down and Lower?

Down: A word meaning below or to lower something. Lower: to make something less high or to decrease it

Which is more advanced: Down and Lower?

Lower is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Down and Lower the same CEFR level?

Down: A1, Lower: B2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Down and Lower?

Down: adverb, Lower: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Down: She quickly ran down the hill. Lower: The manager decided to lower the prices to attract more customers.

Can I use Down and Lower interchangeably?

Not always. Down and Lower are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.