DOWNING Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

downing

verb

present participle of down

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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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

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 The combination of Chance downing teams inside the 10-yard line combined with a suffocating defense could be a recipe for success for TCU in the final half of the season. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 Hurricane Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Saturday, spawning tornadoes, destroying buildings and downing power lines across the Gulf region. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026 Hurricane Isaias made landfall in Destin as a Category 2 storm on Friday night, bringing wind gusts of more than 110 mph to the Florida Panhandle, downing trees, scattering debris and leaving at least two people dead. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 In southeastern Connecticut and eastern Long Island, New York, gusts could be almost as strong, potentially downing tree limbs and power lines. — Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026 Sustained winds will reach 25–35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph, capable of downing tree limbs and causing power outages. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026 Tornado sirens blare and strong winds cause chaos — downing branches, trees and powerlines, damaging buildings and pulling the roof off houses. — Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Sep. 2026 As leaders meet, overnight Russian strikes kill and injure civilians, ignite fires and hit transport and shopping hubs, underscoring the war’s reach even as Moscow touts downing hundreds of Ukrainian drones. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The object of his attention is Alexander Isak, the striker who left Newcastle for Liverpool a year ago after downing tools and refusing to play and is now back on Tyneside for the first time. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for downing

Verb

After dropping three of his first four games to Kansas starting in 1989, his teams won the next 11.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Indeed, far-right leader Marine Le Pen has vowed to roll back the official retirement age to 62 and even previously suggested dropping it to as low as 60.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of dropping

Verb

During my stay some visitors curled up on the couches against the evening desert chill, sipping hot drinks spiked with Amarula, a South African liqueur, surrounded by flickering candles.

— Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Barrington and Henrot soon joined a crowd snacking on salmon blini and caviar and sipping endless flutes of Champagne.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sipping

Verb

Things get even more alarming when Eidra can’t reach Tom Libby and reports start rolling in that Vaughn is dismissing everyone in Trowbridge’s government who’d had a significant relationship with Kate and her team.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Citing 2026 laureate Navi Pillay—known for charging Israel with genocide and dismissing free speech—Schatz warns the award now rewards ideological insider posturing rather than genuine efforts to achieve international peace.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

Social media videos of him hitting tennis balls and baseballs while listing his policy proposals have provided a font of online mockery.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Lips and eyes were also adorned at the L’Oreal Paris booth, where guests received touch-ups before hitting the adjacent Allure Red Carpet.

— Eden Stuart, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

For head and neck cancer survivors specifically, nearly all clinicians routinely assess cancer recurrence, swallowing and thyroid function.

— Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026
People who have been infected with salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, usually six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria, health officials said.

— Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of swallowing

Verb

Authorities are investigating what led a 16-year-old shooter to force entry into his former elementary school in Bend, Oregon, and fire into a special needs classroom on Thursday, killing three children and a young teacher.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Over the next seven years, Saudi Arabia carried out waves of airstrikes against the Houthis, often killing civilians.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of killing

Verb

Brown would have to serve with Republican Bernie Moreno, who defeated Brown in 2024 — and would likely become the leading tactician in charge of toppling the Democrat again in 2028.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
With homes nearly toppling into the ocean and back-to-back floods and hurricanes amplifying our sense of dread, keeping track of all things El Niño can be overwhelming.

— Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026