windfall

noun

wind·​fall ˈwin(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce windfall (audio)
Synonyms of windfallnext
1
: something (such as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind
2
: an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage

Examples of windfall in a Sentence

They received a windfall because of the tax cuts. hitting the lottery jackpot was an incredible windfall for the recently laid-off worker
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.
Vijay Dandapani, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, said city hotels are seeing a modest upswing in summer bookings -- around 10% compared with the previous year — but nowhere close to the windfall promised by FIFA and other tournament boosters. ABC News, 12 May 2026 In effect, the Time Warner shareholders got AOL stock at a then-value that looked like windfall. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 9 May 2026 The clubs will contest a two-legged play-off semi-final, with the winners to meet the victors of Hull City’s clash with Millwall on May 23 at Wembley Stadium to contest a place in next season’s Premier League, and a potential windfall of around £200million ($271m). Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 8 May 2026 But the high profits have led to calls for windfall taxes on these companies across multiple countries. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for windfall

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of windfall was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Windfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/windfall. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

windfall

noun
wind·​fall -ˌfȯl How to pronounce windfall (audio)
1
: something (as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind
2
: an unexpected gift, gain, or help

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