as in disadvantage
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success
the downside of living in the country is, of course, the long commute to work
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Recent Examples of downside
Pest Management Without Harming Fireflies The one downside of creating a habitat for fireflies is that the damp environment can also cause mosquitoes and other pests to multiply.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
The downside of having a pacemaker is that getting one requires surgery, as well as having the device permanently implanted.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026
Those plans met fierce opposition from environmental groups and local communities concerned about climate impacts, coal dust, rail traffic and other potential downsides.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
The biggest downside to this method is that getting the borax-to-sugar ratio just right is very important.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for downside
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
The downside of having a pacemaker is that getting one requires surgery, as well as having the device permanently implanted.
—Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026
Those plans met fierce opposition from environmental groups and local communities concerned about climate impacts, coal dust, rail traffic and other potential downsides.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
The biggest downside to this method is that getting the borax-to-sugar ratio just right is very important.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for downside
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downside
Noun
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Similar to how van Gisbergen debuted on a brand-new NASCAR circuit, thereby negating some of the disadvantages that come with racing in a series for the first time, Magnussen will have the same opportunity at San Diego.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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Soon, multiplexes emerged, which put the Westwood Village location at a disadvantage.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Essentially, my handicap is that Journalism can draft Knightsbridge around the course and outkick the rest of the field on the closing stretch.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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Keep your eye on the predictions and handicap accordingly, though this field offers a dearth of off-track options.—
Teresa Genaro,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Noun
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Here’s how to balance the benefits and drawbacks of remote work at the start of your career.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
6 June 2026
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Caren Yglesias, an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland's School of Landscape Architecture, says a shorter arch might be less obstructive, but not without its own drawbacks.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downside.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downside. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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