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
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Recent Examples of downing
Russia's Defense Ministry reported downing a total of 2,788 long-range Ukrainian drones during September, at an average of just under 93 per day.
—
David Brennan, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Jim Lorentz crossed paths with the American Motel in Wheat Ridge many times — whether as a cop hauling out a domestic violence suspect, as a diner downing comfort food in the restaurant or as a guest in the Elvis suite on his wedding night.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Ukraine is also fielding increasing numbers of small interceptor drones which have had considerable success at downing Shaheds.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Some like to get to the airport very early, with time for a full picnic, while others are dashing in at the last minute while downing a protein bar.
—Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025
The New England Patriots secured their first win of the season on Sunday, downing the Dolphins in Miami, 33-27 — a win that also gave head coach Mike Vrabel his maiden victory in his new job.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The drone was intercepted by two F-16 fighter jets, which were carrying out an air patrol mission in northern Dobruja and, according to the ministry, came close to downing it.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
So Cali reached over, extracting it, before downing the rest.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Tarnopolsky notes that downing creatine alongside a small portion of food may help prevent any stomachaches.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
David Brennan, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Jim Lorentz crossed paths with the American Motel in Wheat Ridge many times — whether as a cop hauling out a domestic violence suspect, as a diner downing comfort food in the restaurant or as a guest in the Elvis suite on his wedding night.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Ukraine is also fielding increasing numbers of small interceptor drones which have had considerable success at downing Shaheds.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Some like to get to the airport very early, with time for a full picnic, while others are dashing in at the last minute while downing a protein bar.
—Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 16 Sep. 2025
The New England Patriots secured their first win of the season on Sunday, downing the Dolphins in Miami, 33-27 — a win that also gave head coach Mike Vrabel his maiden victory in his new job.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
The drone was intercepted by two F-16 fighter jets, which were carrying out an air patrol mission in northern Dobruja and, according to the ministry, came close to downing it.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
So Cali reached over, extracting it, before downing the rest.
—Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025
Tarnopolsky notes that downing creatine alongside a small portion of food may help prevent any stomachaches.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downing
Verb
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Federal officials started only 14 lawsuits over the period, dropping below the lows during the Biden administration, the story stated.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Heat advisories may expand north by midweek, and overnight lows will remain unusually warm, barely dropping below the 70s.—
Brandi D. Addison,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Embrace that cozy energy by visiting a pumpkin patch, sipping cider, wearing sweaters or wandering through a charming small town to channel your inner Gilmore.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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Beverage aficionados will enjoy sipping at the many mountainside NC wineries or tasting brews at Sideways Farm.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As a result of the investigation, embassy officials decided not to renew the employee’s contract, effectively dismissing him.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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The appellate court last year reversed Martínez-Olguín’s initial case dismissal, leading to the judge dismissing it again.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Oct. 2025
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The Dodgers are one of the better teams in baseball at hitting changeups from lefties like Sánchez.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nearly 3,000 growing chasms have opened up in dozens of towns, swallowing up roads and houses in their path.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Oct. 2025
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The little girl also had trouble swallowing for a couple of days afterward, her mother said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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The emergency services Loeb was hearing were headed to the nearby Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where an assailant rammed a car into people before stabbing several members of the community, killing two.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kirk followed Guerrero the next inning, slamming the first of his two homers over the outfield wall.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Nonprofit watchdog group Human Rights Watch and fellow comedians like David Cross and Marc Maron, however, are saying otherwise, accusing the festival of deflecting from the country's human rights violations and slamming their peers for their involvement.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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So just fixing my diet, drinking a lot of water, stretching, moving every day, doing the right movements.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Oct. 2025
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To paraphrase Fight Club, fighting becomes the reason to keep your nails short, to order salad instead of fries, and to stop drinking on weeknights.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downing. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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