1
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
downed his opponent with one stunning blow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in sipping
to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat
downing slices of pizza and guzzling bottles of soda
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dismissing
to reject by or as if by a vote
all attempts to ban indoor smoking had been downed by the town council
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of downing
While the mere thought of downing eight coffees daily might conjure heart palpitations, caffeine has been at the center of Navratil’s career climb.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Arsenal claimed the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, downing Corinthians 3-2 after extra time at the Emirates Stadium.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Buettner’s not into popping pills and downing potions.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Georgia winter storm A winter storm blasted Georgia with ice and freezing rain leaving thousands without power, downing trees and making the roads dangerous .
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 25 Jan. 2026
In Shelby County, Texas, near the Louisiana border, ice weighed down on pine trees and caused branches to snap, downing power lines.
—Thomas Peipert, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026
The head of the second train took the brunt of the impact, knocking its first two carriages off the track and sending them plummeting downing a steep slope.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Iran for days dismissed allegations of downing the plane as Western propaganda before finally acknowledging it.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
The Patriots have won all of those playoff appearances, downing the Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round in 2007 and 2019, while beating the Chargers in the AFC Championship in 2008.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Arsenal claimed the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, downing Corinthians 3-2 after extra time at the Emirates Stadium.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Buettner’s not into popping pills and downing potions.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Georgia winter storm A winter storm blasted Georgia with ice and freezing rain leaving thousands without power, downing trees and making the roads dangerous .
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 25 Jan. 2026
In Shelby County, Texas, near the Louisiana border, ice weighed down on pine trees and caused branches to snap, downing power lines.
—Thomas Peipert, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026
The head of the second train took the brunt of the impact, knocking its first two carriages off the track and sending them plummeting downing a steep slope.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Iran for days dismissed allegations of downing the plane as Western propaganda before finally acknowledging it.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
The Patriots have won all of those playoff appearances, downing the Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round in 2007 and 2019, while beating the Chargers in the AFC Championship in 2008.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downing
Verb
-
Moschino managed to secure the collaboration with the superstar rapper and multitalented creative, unveiling a two-piece capsule collection dropping Friday.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Brooklyn fell to the Orlando Magic 118-98 at Kia Center, dropping to 13-37 and extending its skid to three games.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a video shared on X by a fan account, the 36-year-old is seen chatting with some pals while sipping a drink.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
5 Feb. 2026
-
For the multitudes who dreamed of sipping their beer in the open air beneath the sunny skies on San Pedro Street in downtown San Jose, your day has arrived.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Consequently, before dismissing this federal tax credit scholarship careful consideration should be given to who can benefit from this additional funding and if this program allows a win-win situation for both public and private schools across Illinois.—
Froylan Jimenez,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
My career at The Times started as my mother was dying of ovarian cancer after years of doctors dismissing her health concerns.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, bitcoin has dropped 50% since hitting a record high above $126,000 in October.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The car collided with the bicyclist before continuing another block and hitting the bakery section of a 99 Ranch Market location in the Westwood neighborhood.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Marvel cinematic universe has a reputation for swallowing up directors and stripping them of any of their personal artistic sensibilities in favor of the MCU’s house style.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Wang emphasizes that accidentally swallowing an occasional lemon or grapefruit seed poses no meaningful risk for healthy adults.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jill Biden's ex-husband has been charged with killing his wife.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Deputies responded to a call about an active shooter at the venue and the first deputy at the scene, Nicholas Moore, approached a man in the parking lot, ordered the man to drop his gun, and shot the man, killing him.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Placing seedlings inside a cardboard box with an open top can prevent pots from toppling over if there’s a strong breeze.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The development is the latest as Syria's new leaders have struggled since toppling former President Bashar Assad in December 2024 to assert their full authority over the country torn by nearly 14 years of civil war.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And while the Gen Xer is leaning on coffee to fuel his massive company turnaround effort—drinking around three times more than the average American pouring two to three cups a day—Gen Z is really who keeps him on his toes, advising him to constantly grow in his role.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Avoid regularly drinking beverages above 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent these risks.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downing. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
