Debbie Downer
2
8.6
- noun
- /ˈdɛbi ˈdaʊnər/
- Offensive
:
aguafiestas
- Everyone was having a great time, but John always plays the role of a Debbie Downer and ruins the mood.
He said are you just a Debbie Downer or more to you?
- He said are you just a Debbie Downer or more to you?
- And so people think I'm sort of like a just a Debbie Downer, you know, pessimist.
- Do not solicit or listen to the opinions of people who are notorious for just being Debbie Downers.
- Kind of like, yeah, I'm, I'm just trying to it's like Debbie Downer, right?
- My result as a my result as a friend is a Debbie Downer.
- I think it was the Debbie's we call the biggest Debbie Downer.
- But we did a whole thing on it one night that that they should call the Oscars the Downers or the Debbie's for Debbie Downer.
Examples
-
Molly was just being a Debbie Downer because she was hormonal and emotional.
-
Seriously, when did you become such a Debbie Downer?
-
OK, Debbie Downer, can we think of something more positive?
-
If it is, she sounds like a miserable Debbie Downer.
Blog text (18) -
I know, I'm being a serious Debbie Downer here, but it really needs to be discussed.
Blog text (8) -
I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be that Debbie Downer.
-
Don't be such a Debbie Downer.
-
Anyway, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but I love your podcast.
-
I don't mean to be Debbie Downer (well, okay, I do), but this whole thing makes me instantly think of the music industry.
Blog text (9) -
You don't really want to be Debbie Downer all the time, but sometimes it's easier to remember and relate stories that are more catastrophic (if it's done in a humorous light).
Blog text (9)
Synonyms
28
7.0
A person who often says that plans or ideas will not work
25
3.9
A person who expects bad things to happen
9
8.0
A person who often seems unhappy and grumpy
2
8.6
A person who is often sad and thinks things will go wrong
1
8.9
A person who always expects bad things to happen
1
8.2
A person who always expects the worst and often complains
A person who always sees the bad side of things
A person who often thinks things will go wrong and complains
A person who always sees the bad side of things and offers no solutions
Antonyms
How Negative
25
3.9
- Offensive
2
8.6
- Offensive
8
6.9
- Offensive
7
5.6
- Informal
16
6.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
Debbie + downer
The noun 'downer' clearly signals something or someone that induces sadness or negativity, and 'Debbie' is a personal name, so a learner who knows both constituents can plausibly infer this labels a person who brings others down. However, the phrase is an informal, culture-specific nickname with pragmatic and attitudinal nuance (and a fixed, rhyming pattern) that is not fully predictable from the parts, so it is not completely transparent.
Etymology
Debbie Downer comes from a popular TV comedy sketch where a woman named Debbie always says sad or negative things and makes everyone feel worse. The word Downer means something that 'brings you down', so the name now refers to a person who often makes the group's mood worse.