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

Weighing the cons of student loan refinancing The biggest downside of my decision was extending my repayment term. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Outside money may only show up because Nvidia is willing to cover part of the downside. — Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

However, Monday Service's high AI costs and restricted permission controls on most plans are clear downsides. — Dianna Gunn, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026

The biggest downside, especially for younger men, is the impact on fertility. — Will Stone, NPR, 10 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