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
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
Nearly a quarter of New Orleans residents live in poverty, and the prospect of a substantial windfall for a few hours’ work apparently outweighed any fear of getting into a car that was about to take part in a high-speed accident.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
That is thanks to congressional Republicans, who gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement a $75 billion windfall last year with few strings attached — money that has helped insulate ICE from congressional pressure and oversight.
—Sam Gringlas, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026
At the same time, CBS and ESPN forego an ad sales windfall, limiting commercial breaks to just four minutes per hour—or roughly a quarter of the standard broadcast load.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026
But rising gasoline prices amid the Iran war have threatened to offset that windfall, according to some analysts.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for windfall
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.
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
That is thanks to congressional Republicans, who gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement a $75 billion windfall last year with few strings attached — money that has helped insulate ICE from congressional pressure and oversight.
—Sam Gringlas, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026
At the same time, CBS and ESPN forego an ad sales windfall, limiting commercial breaks to just four minutes per hour—or roughly a quarter of the standard broadcast load.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026
But rising gasoline prices amid the Iran war have threatened to offset that windfall, according to some analysts.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for windfall
Cite this Entry
“Windfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/windfall. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
