downtown
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the main business and shopping area of a city.
n.the central business district or commercial heart of a town or city.
Simple“We spent the whole afternoon walking around downtown looking for a gift.”
In context“The city council has invested heavily in revitalising downtown, hoping to attract more residents to the historic commercial core.”
UsageIn American English, 'downtown' is often used without an article when following a preposition like 'in'.
Synonymscity centercentral business districtAntonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
adv.towards or in the central part of a city.
adv.to, towards, or in the central business district of a city.
Simple“I need to go downtown to meet my lawyer at three o'clock.”
In context“Commuters heading downtown faced significant delays this morning due to a water main break on the primary arterial road.”
UsageFunctions as an adverb of place or direction; typically follows the verb directly.
PitfallI am going to downtown. I am going downtown.When used as an adverb of direction with verbs like 'go' or 'drive', do not use the preposition 'to'.
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.located in or relating to the central part of a city.
adj.situated in or characteristic of the central business district.
Simple“They live in a small downtown apartment near the train station.”
In context“The downtown skyline has changed dramatically over the last decade with the addition of several glass-fronted skyscrapers.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it describes.
- 04 C1 Advanced
adv.a shot taken from a long distance away from the basket.
adv.a shot taken from beyond the three-point line or from a significant distance.
Simple“He took a shot from downtown and won the game at the buzzer.”
In context“The point guard is known for his ability to pull up from downtown, forcing defenders to guard him well beyond the perimeter.”
Teacher's tipThis is a very specific sports metaphor used primarily in basketball broadcasting and journalism.
Synonymslong range
“The computer-generated video shows an army of Canada Geese with a city in the background that has a big downtown and a domed stadium.”
“Fire crews were called to a three-alarm blaze at the Zanzibar Tavern in downtown Toronto on Sunday, Aug.”
From down + town.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.