down payment

noun

Synonyms of down paymentnext
: a part of the full price paid at the time of purchase or delivery with the balance to be paid later
broadly : the first step in a process

Examples of down payment in a Sentence

She made a 10 percent down payment on the car. We put a down payment on the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stricter lending rules and larger down payments mean fewer risky loans and potentially safer owners, but lower-income households remain largely locked out and are forced to delay buying or abandon home ownership dreams. — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The government guarantee reduces lender risk, allowing qualified borrowers to purchase eligible homes with no down payment and potentially flexible qualification requirements. — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2026 Financial institutions and community partners may also provide down payment assistance programs, including opportunities that can be partially or fully forgiven over time. — Patricia Mason, Hartford Courant, 22 Aug. 2026 Housing affordability is a major part of it, but its effects extend well beyond whether someone can scrape together a down payment. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for down payment

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of down payment was in 1854

Rhymes for down payment

See All Rhymes for down payment

Browse Nearby Words

Downpatrick
down payment
downpipe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Down payment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down%20payment. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

down payment

noun
: a part of the full price paid at the time of purchase or delivery with the remainder to be paid later

More from Merriam-Webster on down payment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for down payment

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