# bring down

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bring-down
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to remove from power

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to make a leader or a government lose their position of power.

For teachers: to cause the downfall or removal of a government, leader, or institution.

- The scandal was enough to bring down the entire government.
- A series of sustained protests and economic failures eventually served to bring down the long-standing military regime.

Usage: Separable; the object can sit between 'bring' and 'down'.

### 2. to reduce

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to lower the level, price, or amount of something.

For teachers: to cause a reduction in quantity, price, or intensity.

- The shop is trying to bring down prices to attract more customers.
- The central bank implemented new policies intended to bring down the rate of inflation before the end of the fiscal year.

Usage: Separable; frequently used with prices, costs, or levels.

### 3. to make sad

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to make someone feel unhappy or depressed.

For teachers: to cause someone to experience a decline in mood or spirits.

- I was having a great day until that phone call brought me down.
- It was a beautiful wedding, but the best man's tragic story really brought everyone down during the speeches.

Usage: Separable; almost always takes a person as the direct object.

### 4. to make fall

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to cause someone or something to fall to the ground.

For teachers: to cause a person, animal, or object to fall, often by force or by using a weapon.

- The defender managed to bring down the striker just outside the box.
- The anti-aircraft battery was able to bring down the enemy drone before it reached the city limits.

Usage: Separable; common in sports contexts like football or rugby.

## Examples

- The scandal helped bring down the government.
- Protesters gathered in the capital, hoping their massive demonstrations would finally bring down the dictator.
- The investigative journalists uncovered a web of corruption so vast that it threatened to bring down the entire financial establishment.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: contrast with the literal sense of lowering an object; in this figurative sense, it is often used in news and political discourse to describe a forced loss of power.

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