downward

1 of 2

adverb

down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd 

variants or downwards

ˈdau̇n-wərdz 

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

downward

2 of 2

adjective

1

: moving or extending downward

2

: descending from a head, origin, or source

downwardly adverb

downwardness noun

Synonyms of downward

Adverb

• down

Adjective

• bowed
• lowered
• down

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

Adverb

Its bright red star Antares marks the heart of the scorpion, with a curving tail extending downward toward the horizon. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026

The straight tonearm ending in a (swappable) moving magnet phono cartridge points downward, and mechanical controls to the side are pushed, turned and clicked for playback. — New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026

Adjective

After years on a downward slope, surplus funds are paying down a pension debt accumulated over seven decades, the state’s rainy-day fund is full, state projects are receiving support, and the state’s credit was upgraded several times since 2020. — Elona Vaisnys, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026

Taken together, the July miss and downward revisions amount to a 252,000-job gap from what had previously been expected or reported. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing downward

• downward dog
• downward facing dog
• downward spiral

Kids Definition

downward

1 of 2 adverb

down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd 

variants or downwards

-wərdz 

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

Legal Definition

downward

1 of 2 adjective

down·​ward

: going from a higher to a lower level

a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines

downward

2 of 2 adverb

: from a higher to a lower level

instead of following the sentencing guidelines, the court departed downward