down·ward
ˈdau̇n-wərd 
variants
or downwards
1
a
: from a higher to a lower place
b
: toward a direction that is the opposite of up
2
: from a higher to a lower condition
3
a
: from an earlier time
b
: from an ancestor or predecessor
1
: moving or extending downward
2
: descending from a head, origin, or source
downwardly
adverb
downwardness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of downward in a Sentence
Adverb
The mountain streams flow downward to the lake.
Mud covered his pants from the knees downward.
Adjective
Sales continued their downward trend.
the downward revision of an estimate
Recent Examples on the Web
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
After waving my hair with a 1-inch curling wand, Toth sprayed my strands (from the top, aiming downward) with the Shu Uemura Moya Hold Finishing Hair Spray to keep them smooth.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 26 Apr. 2024
Robbery rates similarly are trending downward, from between 240 and 298 reported annually since 2020, a drop from the more than 400 reported in 2018 and 2017.
—Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
The emissions of some middle- and lower-income countries have also peaked and begun to trend downward, including those of Albania, Cuba, Jamaica, North Macedonia, and South Africa.
—Kelly Sims Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Not long after that, a rash breaks out, usually beginning on the face -- at the hairline -- and spreading downward, according to the CDC.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
The cashier lifted a brow and curved her mouth downward slightly.
—Vanessa Grubbs, STAT, 16 Apr. 2024
Six foot one and awkward and imposing, the blunt yet affable middle-aged geneticist had broad shoulders, a hefty mustache, and a prominent bald forehead that forced his bushy eyebrows downward at the seeming expense of his eyes.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
The shadows were made by the light of the sun, cast downward onto clouds below it.
—Chloe Rose Stuart-Ulin, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2024
City officials said this makes sense because there has been a downward trend in the number of recruits at police academies, including only 25 participating in the most recent one.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
That number fell to 31 SPAC IPOs in 2022 and has since continued this downward trend.
—María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
And more than one-third of the 34-member Cincinnati Futures Commission that worked on a plan to reverse the city's downward financial trend come from Indian Hill and Hyde Park − two of the wealthiest areas of the region, The Enquirer found.
—The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
The downward curve represents the most significant year-over-year decrease for Black entrepreneurs in ten years.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies — which forecasts spending on home remodeling and repairs, including in outdoor spaces — anticipates this downward trend will endure for the rest of 2024.
—Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Ohtani is the type of player who transcends the sport and counteracts the downward trend in baseball’s national appeal more than anyone else.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Adverb
Potential increases keep trending downward, according to Michael Citron, principal, compensation and rewards consultant at Mercer.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
After waving my hair with a 1-inch curling wand, Toth sprayed my strands (from the top, aiming downward) with the Shu Uemura Moya Hold Finishing Hair Spray to keep them smooth.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 26 Apr. 2024
Robbery rates similarly are trending downward, from between 240 and 298 reported annually since 2020, a drop from the more than 400 reported in 2018 and 2017.
—Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
The emissions of some middle- and lower-income countries have also peaked and begun to trend downward, including those of Albania, Cuba, Jamaica, North Macedonia, and South Africa.
—Kelly Sims Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Not long after that, a rash breaks out, usually beginning on the face -- at the hairline -- and spreading downward, according to the CDC.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
The cashier lifted a brow and curved her mouth downward slightly.
—Vanessa Grubbs, STAT, 16 Apr. 2024
Six foot one and awkward and imposing, the blunt yet affable middle-aged geneticist had broad shoulders, a hefty mustache, and a prominent bald forehead that forced his bushy eyebrows downward at the seeming expense of his eyes.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
The shadows were made by the light of the sun, cast downward onto clouds below it.
—Chloe Rose Stuart-Ulin, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Keena said a pre-plea presentence investigation by Dakota County Community Corrections also recommended a downward dispositional departure from sentencing guidelines.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2024
City officials said this makes sense because there has been a downward trend in the number of recruits at police academies, including only 25 participating in the most recent one.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
That number fell to 31 SPAC IPOs in 2022 and has since continued this downward trend.
—María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
And more than one-third of the 34-member Cincinnati Futures Commission that worked on a plan to reverse the city's downward financial trend come from Indian Hill and Hyde Park − two of the wealthiest areas of the region, The Enquirer found.
—The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
The downward curve represents the most significant year-over-year decrease for Black entrepreneurs in ten years.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies — which forecasts spending on home remodeling and repairs, including in outdoor spaces — anticipates this downward trend will endure for the rest of 2024.
—Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Ohtani is the type of player who transcends the sport and counteracts the downward trend in baseball’s national appeal more than anyone else.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near downward
Cite this Entry
“Downward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downward
1 of 2 adverb
down·ward
ˈdau̇n-wərd
variants
or downwards
1
: from a higher place or condition to a lower one
2
: from an earlier time
downward
2 of 2 adjective
: moving or reaching down
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