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

The shifts in dealmaking has taken away the jackpot potential of a huge windfall for writers, directors, actors, producers and others if a movie or TV show is a bona fide hit. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026

Donalds, the front-runner in the GOP primary for the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election, has proposed crypto-friendly policies that could bring the asset’s price back up, potentially providing him with a significant financial windfall. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Feb. 2026

Green energy has been an economic windfall in many places that welcome it. —Sophie Hartley, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026

Consumers, though, are unlikely to enjoy a refund windfall. —ABC News, 21 Feb. 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