low
gb/lˈoʊ/ us/lˈoʊ/
A1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Not high in position or height
Not high; close to the ground.
Usage pattern:
[something] is low
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'low' with 'short' when describing people. 'Low' is not used for a person's height.
Synonyms
short (Often used for vertical extent, especially people or objects; 'low' is more about position or level.)
Antonyms
high (Indicates a large distance from bottom to top or from the ground.)
Collocations
low wall
|low table
|low ceiling
|low shelf
Themes
daily life
|descriptions
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The fence is too low to keep the dog in.
- They built a low wall around the garden.
- The clouds are very low today.
Learner examples
- The chair is low.
- The wall is low.
- The clouds are low.
adjective
A2
property
2
Small in amount, degree, or intensity
Not much; less than normal.
Usage pattern:
low [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'few' instead of 'low' for uncountable nouns like 'temperature' or 'energy'.
Synonyms
reduced (Implies something has been made less than before.)
Antonyms
high (Indicates a large amount, degree, or intensity.)
Collocations
low price
|low temperature
|low risk
|low energy
Themes
descriptions
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The store is offering low prices this week.
- My phone battery is low.
- She has low confidence in her work.
Learner examples
- The price is low.
- The water is low in the river.
- My phone battery is low.
adjective
B1
state
3
Feeling sad or lacking energy
Feeling sad or tired; not feeling good.
Usage pattern:
feel low
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'low' with 'slow' when describing feelings, but they are unrelated.
Synonyms
depressed ('Depressed' is stronger and often used for clinical conditions.)
Antonyms
cheerful (Describes feeling happy and positive.)
Collocations
feel low
|emotionally low
|a low mood
Themes
emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I've been feeling low since the exam results.
- She was in a low mood all day.
- After the illness, he felt very low.
Learner examples
- I feel low today.
- She is low after the bad news.
- He feels low this week.
adverb
A2
relation
4
At a small height or level
Close to the ground or a lower place.
Synonyms
downward ('Downward' implies direction; 'low' indicates position.)
Antonyms
high (At a large height above the ground.)
Collocations
fly low
|stoop low
Themes
movement
|descriptions
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The bird flew low over the water.
- Keep your head low in the tunnel.
- He bent low to pick up the coin.
Learner examples
- The bird flies low.
- He sits low on the chair.
- She walks low under the tree.
Noun
B2
state
5
A period of reduced strength or quality
A time when something is not strong or good.
Synonyms
downturn ('Downturn' is often used for economic contexts.)
Antonyms
peak (The highest or best point of something.)
Collocations
an all-time low
|a new low
Themes
emotions
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Sales have hit a new low this year.
- He reached a personal low after losing his job.
- Her confidence was at an all-time low.
Learner examples
- Sales are at a low now.
- I am at a low in my life.
- Her mood is at a low point.
Grammar
Dictionary form
low
IPA
GB/lˈoʊ/
US/lˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
low (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (low)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: low
- Comparative: lower
- Superlative: lowest
Noun
- Base: low
- Plural: low, lows
Word family
Expressions
get low
1/ɡˈɛt lˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
Lower your body toward the ground
To bend your body down closer to the floor or ground.
Examples
- Get low so they can’t see you through the window.
- During the fire drill, we were told to get low to avoid smoke.
lay low
1/lˈeɪ lˈoʊ/
idiom
informal
Stay quiet to avoid attention
To stay quiet and not be noticed for some time.
Examples
- After the argument, he decided to lay low for a few days.
- The suspect is laying low until things calm down.
low blow
1/lˈoʊ blˈoʊ/
idiom
informal
An unfair and hurtful action or comment
Something you say or do that is unfair and hurts someone’s feelings.
Examples
- Bringing up his past mistakes was a real low blow.
- It was a low blow to criticize her in front of everyone.
low profile
1/lˈoʊ pɹˈoʊfˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
Avoiding public attention or publicity
Staying out of public attention and not being noticed much.
Examples
- He kept a low profile after leaving the company.
- The celebrity has maintained a low profile since the scandal.