as in downing
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
the exuberant dog bowled over several children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowling (down or over)
Verb
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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
Verb
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Panama was the first Latin American country to join the global infrastructure drive in 2017 after dropping diplomatic ties with Taipei.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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Also, the cold weather is forecast to get much worse from Sunday, with temperatures dropping even further and making the time frame for a pause in attacks hard to understand.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Again, the bots were not always gainly—one viral video showed a humanoid veering off a running track and knocking over a human spectator—but the atmosphere was one of dynamism and experimentation.—
James Vincent,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Surveillance video shows a man, alleged to be Eichorst, knocking over and damaging the menorah, causing about $500 in damage.—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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South San Joaquin County Fire Authority However, after knocking down the flames, fire officials say crews found a person dead inside the shop.—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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Luka Dončić had his way against the Hornets’ defense throughout the night, knocking down five 3-pointers in a 38-point performance.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bowling (down or over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowling%20%28down%20or%20over%29. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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