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

Analysts argued that the potential benefits from this year's acquisition spree, which was funded by Lilly's GLP-1 windfall, are being underestimated by the market. — Jeff Marks,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

In the early stages, an aspiring short seller should seek knowledge acquisition more than financial windfalls. — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

That morning’s big-screen windfall had come from a former Hilton Hotel in Rye that’s being converted into a residential apartment complex. — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2026

However, the non-monetary windfall of such residencies is equally valuable to destinations. — Leena Tailor, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 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