# get down

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/get-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make someone feel sad or lose their energy. You use this when a situation or person makes you feel unhappy.

For teachers: to cause someone to feel depressed, demoralized, or discouraged; transitive, usually inseparable when used in this emotional sense.

## Examples

- This rainy weather really gets me down.
- Don't let the stress of the new project get you down; we can finish it together.
- The constant criticism from his supervisor began to get him down, eventually affecting his productivity and overall mental well-being.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The bad news got down me." but "The bad news got me down." — when the object is a pronoun, it must come between the verb and the particle in this phrasal verb structure.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a person as the direct object.
- Teaching tip: contrast with the literal 'get down' (to descend) or the informal 'get down' (to dance); this emotional sense is very common in daily conversation.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.