downside

noun

down·​side ˈdau̇n-ˌsīd How to pronounce downside (audio)
Synonyms of downsidenext
1
: a downward trend (as of prices)
2
: a negative aspect
the downside of fame

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
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.
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, 18 Dec. 2025 Fusion or other sources of power could help with America’s electrical supply problems without nuclear’s downsides or siting controversies. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025 India has also discovered diversification’s downsides. Tanvi Madan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 However, Wall Street analysts were quick to point out that Zillow's exposure to organic search is fairly small, limiting potential downside at least in the near term as more details around Google's product come to light. Pia Singh, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downside

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downside was in 1905

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Cite this Entry

“Downside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downside. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.

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