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
Since the Ukraine war began, the pool of buyers for Russian oil has shrunk, thanks to stricter sanctions from the European Union and Washington – though the Iran war proved to be a windfall, with Moscow benefiting from surging global fuel prices and eased sanctions.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Because of that, revenues are prone to volatility, hinging on capital gains from investments, bonuses to executives and windfalls from new stock offerings, and are notoriously difficult for the state to predict.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
In turn, receiving an unexpected financial windfall via an inheritance can feel like a rare opportunity to regain stability right now.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Rashada’s unlikely—if not deeply ironic—windfall highlights the secondary market for House claims that has emerged during the post-settlement limbo of antitrust litigation over college athletes’ long-standing inability to profit from their name, image and likeness rights.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for windfall
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Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Because of that, revenues are prone to volatility, hinging on capital gains from investments, bonuses to executives and windfalls from new stock offerings, and are notoriously difficult for the state to predict.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
In turn, receiving an unexpected financial windfall via an inheritance can feel like a rare opportunity to regain stability right now.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Rashada’s unlikely—if not deeply ironic—windfall highlights the secondary market for House claims that has emerged during the post-settlement limbo of antitrust litigation over college athletes’ long-standing inability to profit from their name, image and likeness rights.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 17 June 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 19 Jun. 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
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