1
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
downed his opponent with one stunning blow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of downing
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
Cathedral Catholic Girls soccer Collecting two goals and two assists while playing smothering defense, the senior led the Dons to a 2-0-1 record in the Excalibur Tournament, downing Huntington Beach Edison 1-0 in the finale.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Muenster repeats, downing Shiner again Muenster completed back-to-back state title campaigns, both against Shiner, as the Hornets downed the Comanches 28-0 to take the Class 2A Division II championship on Thursday morning before 7,397 looking on.
—Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Dec. 2025
Punter Matt Araiza put four punts inside the 20, and Kevin Knowles was clutch in downing two of them, including one at the Dallas 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Nov. 2025
Credit her 24/7 exercise regimen of downing cocktails and dishing dirt, or chalk it up to a hopeful striver’s indefatigable inner spirit.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Take William Shakespeare, who is often portrayed as a carouser, downing pints while exchanging barbs with his fellow writers, cheating on his wife with both men and women, passionately engaging his quill to reimagine the very nature of the human being.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Prosecutor Andrew Figliuzzi claimed Chambers dined at a Houston restaurant before hitting three bars on the night of the crash, per the Chronicle, allegedly downing at least six alcoholic beverages and using cocaine.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Have an experience close to sipping wine than downing grain alcohol.
—Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Cathedral Catholic Girls soccer Collecting two goals and two assists while playing smothering defense, the senior led the Dons to a 2-0-1 record in the Excalibur Tournament, downing Huntington Beach Edison 1-0 in the finale.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Muenster repeats, downing Shiner again Muenster completed back-to-back state title campaigns, both against Shiner, as the Hornets downed the Comanches 28-0 to take the Class 2A Division II championship on Thursday morning before 7,397 looking on.
—Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Dec. 2025
Punter Matt Araiza put four punts inside the 20, and Kevin Knowles was clutch in downing two of them, including one at the Dallas 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Nov. 2025
Credit her 24/7 exercise regimen of downing cocktails and dishing dirt, or chalk it up to a hopeful striver’s indefatigable inner spirit.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Take William Shakespeare, who is often portrayed as a carouser, downing pints while exchanging barbs with his fellow writers, cheating on his wife with both men and women, passionately engaging his quill to reimagine the very nature of the human being.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Prosecutor Andrew Figliuzzi claimed Chambers dined at a Houston restaurant before hitting three bars on the night of the crash, per the Chronicle, allegedly downing at least six alcoholic beverages and using cocaine.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Have an experience close to sipping wine than downing grain alcohol.
—Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downing
Verb
-
The Packers finished a season that began with Super Bowl hopes by dropping five in a row.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll midseason after blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the Chicago Bears, a game in which rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart sustained a concussion, dropping them to 2-8.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Visitors can slip into a cozy seersucker robe and watch sailboats drift by while sipping a cocktail.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
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Beyond lies a private stretch of sand — perfect for launching a kayak or paddleboard at sunrise, or sipping wine as the sun sets over Buzzards Bay.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Confidence can tip into defensiveness, so your challenge has a lot to do with asserting boundaries without emotional withdrawal and honoring your needs without dismissing others.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The president spoke little about democracy in Venezuela, dismissing a potential role for its longstanding democratic opposition in running the country in the immediate aftermath of the operation.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The 49ers went three and out on their next two possessions and were unsuccessful on throws outside the numbers after hitting the middle of the field with three completions on the scoring drive.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
After hitting just 4 of 30 threes against the Pacers, Miami opened 4 for 4 from distance, shot 8 for 16 on threes in the first half and finished 17 for 32.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Any muscles used for movement — including those involved in speaking, chewing, swallowing, seeing, blinking, breathing and walking — can be affected.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
To save humankind, a geophysicist living with early-onset Alzheimer’s is recruited to investigate the vast void swallowing the oceans.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The charges relate to his killing Scott Wonoski, 43, a fellow inmate at the Massachusetts Treatment Center in Bridgewater, in 2021.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Those on the right, determined to make the case that this was an officer killing in self-defense, should instead be beginning with this utter failure to protect the life of a civilian protester and de-escalate the situation through some means other than shooting a fellow American in the head.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The past 25 years have shown that the effects of toppling leaders are difficult to predict and that having more rather than fewer perspectives leads to better outcomes.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Jan. 2026
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But in forcibly toppling an unfriendly leader, the United States changed the rules.—
Richard Fontaine,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The continuum of problem drinking There aren’t just two types of drinkers –– those who have a problem and those who don’t have to worry about it, Dick said.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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But generally, fewer people are seeking out these whales, so fewer are being made, partly because people are not drinking as many high-octane, high alcohol beers.—
Jay R. Brooks,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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