phrasal verb · informal

get someone down

/ɡet ˈsʌmwʌn daʊn/get SOME·one DOWN

speaking

to make someone feel sad, depressed, or discouraged.

Examples

The constant rain really gets me down.

Don’t let small setbacks get you down.

Exam pressure can get a lot of students down.

Band 8 sentence

Constant negative feedback from teachers can really get students down and lower their motivation to study.

Collocations

  • get me down
  • get students down

Word family

get someone down vgot someone down v (past)getting someone down v‑ing

Common mistakes

The weather gets me downing.The weather gets me down.

It make me down.It gets me down. / It makes me feel down.

Say it for a higher band

5feel sad6be disappointed7+get someone down

Synonyms

depress

Easily confused

cheer someone up

A joke always cheers me up.

Related words

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In get …

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