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
The Iran war is currently a top priority for the United States and risks diverting resources that Kyiv needs, such as air defense systems, while providing Russia with windfall profits through high energy prices.
—
Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Kenny Holston/the New York Times | Via Reuters As Americans receive their tax refunds this spring, some are seeing a sizable windfall from last year, while others are getting only a few hundred dollars' difference — and the reasons may not be immediately clear to them.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea,lorie Konish,kamaron McNair,greg Iacurci,mike Winters,sarah Agostino, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s quite a windfall for a lot of people, since CoolIT’s grown its workforce around 50% since the KKR purchase.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Later June clears your way; a windfall could appear in July.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for windfall
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Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Kenny Holston/the New York Times | Via Reuters As Americans receive their tax refunds this spring, some are seeing a sizable windfall from last year, while others are getting only a few hundred dollars' difference — and the reasons may not be immediately clear to them.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea,lorie Konish,kamaron McNair,greg Iacurci,mike Winters,sarah Agostino, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
That’s quite a windfall for a lot of people, since CoolIT’s grown its workforce around 50% since the KKR purchase.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Later June clears your way; a windfall could appear in July.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 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 5 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
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