windfall

noun

wind·​fall ˈwin(d)-ˌfȯl 

1

: something (such as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind

2

: an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage

Synonyms of windfall

• benefit
• blessing
• boon
• gift

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

The government owes roughly $166 billion plus interest in total — a one-time windfall equivalent to nearly a quarter of S&P 500 earnings in the first quarter of 2026. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 26 May 2026

With less than two months until kickoff, many cities had expected the tournament to deliver a major tourism windfall following last year’s FIFA Club World Cup. —Valentina Di Donato, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026

In that case, soccer can expect a bumper windfall from the World Cup, with more than $9 billion in revenue anticipated this year. —James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026

The playoff final is labeled the world’s richest one-off soccer match because a windfall of at least $270 million in future earnings is on offer for the winning team. —ABC News, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for windfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

windfall

noun

wind·​fall -ˌfȯl 

1

: something (as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind

2

: an unexpected gift, gain, or help