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

• benediction
• benefit
• blessing
• boon
• felicity
• godsend
• good
• manna

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 Winehouse windfall is sure to spike with the release of Back to Black, which stars British actress Marisa Abela and traces Winehouse’s life from her teen years through her death. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2024

Officials hope that person’s windfall will encourage others to follow suit. —Susan Haigh, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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