Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

on the down-low

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.21 in modern English

Syllables
on the -down-low
IPA
22
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

In secret or nearly so, on a need-to-know basis.

American usage; Slang

prep_phrase

Secretly sleeping with someone other than one's partner.

American usage; Slang

prep_phrase

Of a man, publicly identifying as heterosexual but secretly having sex with men.

Example Sentences

Usage

Inflected Forms

on the down low (alternative) on the DL (alternative) on the low (alternative) on the downlow (alternative)

Phrases

keep it in the family

Frequently Paired Words

keep it in the family

Questions

What does on the down-low mean?
In secret or nearly so, on a need-to-know basis.

How to pronounce on the down-low

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “on the down-low”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “on the down-low”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “on the down-low” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.