What Does “Bring sb down” Mean?
“Bring sb down” means to make someone feel sad, disappointed, or less confident. It can also mean to defeat or remove someone from power or position.
Introduction
The phrase “bring sb down” is a common phrasal verb in English that has multiple related meanings. Primarily, it refers to making someone feel unhappy or less confident. For example, a negative comment can bring someone down emotionally. It is also used when someone is defeated or removed from a position, such as a leader being brought down by their opponents. Understanding the “bring sb down meaning” helps learners use this phrase correctly in different situations, whether talking about emotions or competition. This guide will explain how to use “bring sb down” naturally, provide examples, and highlight common mistakes.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: bring sb down (bring somebody down)
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To make someone sad or defeat someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Bring sb down” is a transitive, inseparable phrasal verb. This means you cannot separate “bring” and “down” with the object.
Correct pattern: bring + somebody + down
Example: The bad news brought me down.
Incorrect: Bring down me the news.
How to Use “Bring sb down”?
You use “bring sb down” to talk about making someone feel sad or less happy. It can also mean causing someone’s failure or defeat. Usually, the object is a person (sb = somebody).
For example, if a friend says something mean, it can bring you down emotionally. Or if a team wins a match, they might bring the other team down by defeating them.
Examples
- His rude comments really brought me down yesterday.
- The scandal brought the politician down from his position.
- Don’t let negative people bring you down.
- The team worked hard to bring their opponents down in the final game.
- She was brought down by the constant criticism at work.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: Bring down me with your words.
Correct: Bring me down with your words. - Incorrect: He brought down his friend.
Correct: He brought his friend down. - Incorrect: They bring down the news.
Correct: They bring the news down. (Though this is unnatural because “bring sb down” usually refers to people, not news.)
Differences / Synonyms
- Bring sb down means to make someone sad or defeat them.
- Cheer sb up means the opposite – to make someone feel happier.
- Let sb down means to disappoint someone by failing to help or support them.
- Put sb down means to criticize or insult someone, which can also bring them down emotionally.
While “bring sb down” focuses on causing sadness or defeat, “put sb down” is more about insulting, and “let sb down” is about disappointment through action or inaction.
Common Collocations
- Bring someone down emotionally
- Bring the team down
- Bring a leader down
- Bring a government down
- Bring a mood down
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of bring sb down:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I felt really sad after hearing those comments.
Tom: Yeah, sometimes people don’t realize how much they bring others down.
Anna: I try not to let it bring me down too much.
Tom: That’s the right attitude!
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “bring sb down”:
- The bad weather __________ the team’s spirit before the match.
- Don’t let negative thoughts __________ you __________.
- The scandal __________ the CEO __________ from his position.
FAQs
- What does “bring sb down” mean? It means to make someone feel sad, disappointed, or to defeat someone.
- Is “bring sb down” separable? No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. The object must come between “bring” and “down.”
- Can “bring sb down” be positive? No, it usually has a negative meaning related to sadness or defeat.
- What is a synonym for “bring sb down”? “Put sb down” or “let sb down” can be similar but with slight differences.
- How do I use “bring sb down” in a sentence? Example: His failure to support her brought her down emotionally.
