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 And while Carpenter is almost always a fan of milk chocolate, one night King caught him downing her Dark & Stormy bars. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 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 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

Her work at both ends of the court — including dropping a shocking 30 points in Game 2 against the league’s best defense — has led the Dream to a dominant start in the series.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
But there’s something to be said for dropping your adversary off in a Chicago beset by a mushroom cloud.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of dropping

Verb

The busy bar is surrounded by couples sipping cocktails and jazz music plays gently in the background.

— Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 5 Nov. 2026
The first Drinking Pig pop-up opened during the 2020 pandemic in a north Miami-Dade front yard, where neighbors and other locals could show up, order and eat at an outdoor picnic table while sipping cold drinks from the cooler.

— Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of sipping

Verb

The video, which has resurfaced on social media ahead of the midterms, features older Americans dismissing issues such as gun violence and climate change while sarcastically encouraging young people to stay home on Election Day.

— CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
The usual suspects tried dismissing Jokic and Doncic as international players.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

The brother will provoke him by hitting him first and saying cruel things, typically about me.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Shortly after the conversation began, Soho pulled out a handgun and shot at the officers, hitting two of them, according to the GBI.

— CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of hitting

Verb

But tests like that require swallowing a special substance and shipping a sample to a lab for analysis.

— Marta Zaraaska, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2026
The contrast stitching adds a unique edge, and the oversized fit is so cool and cozy without swallowing you whole.

— Annie Blackman, InStyle, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of swallowing

Verb

Earlier this week, missiles fired by the Houthis struck a residential area in Taiz, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Russia's aerial attacks hit 12 regions of Ukraine overnight, killing at least four people and wounding scores of others, including five children, Zelenskyy said on social media Thursday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of killing

Verb

Washington follows this pattern of behavior because sanctions alone rarely—if ever—make a problem disappear, such as by toppling the government responsible.

— S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
Despite the rain and wind toppling over organizer tents, the energy of Souls to the Polls felt akin to a backyard barbecue; organizers say that’s exactly the point.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of toppling

Verb

Observed employees drinking coffee by the sushi area who changed their gloves but didn’t wash their hands before preparing sushi for customers’ orders.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Its owner, Jack Swilling, was a hardworking, hard-drinking entrepreneur who often supplemented his whiskey with liquid morphine.

— Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026