downside

noun

down·​side ˈdau̇n-ˌsīd 

1

: a downward trend (as of prices)

2

: a negative aspect

the downside of fame

Synonyms of downside

• disadvantage
• handicap
• drawback

Examples of downside in a Sentence

He could find no downside to the car.

the downside of living in the country is, of course, the long commute to work

Recent Examples on the Web

There was no downside because the goalie stayed on the field. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Using Stainless Polish On Your Fridge On the one hand, using stainless polish to clean a stainless steel fridge leaves a bright, attractive, reflective finish—but there’s a downside. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026

Proponents who are pushing for online casinos in Maryland promise boundless tax revenue with minimal downsides, selectively ignoring who disproportionately pays the price of legalization. — Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026

An alarming downside is that this openly spurs an AI to potentially wreak havoc and commit cyberattacks throughout the Internet, even though it is seemingly only being tested. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing downside

• on the downside

Rhymes for downside

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied