1
as in to down
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
a champion boxer who was shockingly felled in the first round
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to mow
to bring down by cutting
the settlers began the daunting task of felling the mighty trees that blanketed the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to kill
to deprive of life
the quest for a cure for malaria, the disease that felled so many during the digging of the Panama Canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
planning for the distribution of resources in case of some fell event
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a once-mighty nation conquered by a fell and barbarous enemy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Onscreen, a bridezilla sent an equivalent table soaring through a banquet hall, felling at least one chandelier.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Italian seasoning is a floral medley of a variety of herbs and adds fantastic flavor in one fell swoop.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
However, the miniature accessories didn’t seem to stop a group of humans from felling and butchering the elephant.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Onscreen, a bridezilla sent an equivalent table soaring through a banquet hall, felling at least one chandelier.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
With their selection of Paul, though, the franchise is essentially tearing up that entire ethos in one fell swoop.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2025
Italian seasoning is a floral medley of a variety of herbs and adds fantastic flavor in one fell swoop.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
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Gusts of 40-50 mph will blow around unsecured objects and may down tree limbs, potentially resulting in a few power outages.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Getting aid from the outside has been a challenge as many roads remain blocked by debris, downed trees and floodwaters.—
Devon Sayers,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Balogun, who stole scenes from Ewan McGregor in Paramount+’s A Gentleman in Moscow, has a smooth, searing confidence, mowing through extras and secondary characters with vicious efficiency.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
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Two easy ways to ensure the grass is mowed properly is, according to Cannon, to know the turf type and how much to mow and use a sharp mower blade to avoid tears or rips, which are basically open wounds on the plant.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Over the course of four months in 1956-57, Israeli forces killed as many as 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Listeria infects about 1,250 people in the United States each year, according to the CDC, and kills about 172.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Wuornos, who was found guilty of six murders and received six death sentences, was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002, after a decade on death row.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
31 Oct. 2025
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Wuornos was executed by lethal injection in October 2002, according to a New York Times obituary.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The warm, relatable territory where the first season ends up doesn’t fully square with the savage satire promised by the pilot.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
-
August Strindberg’s savage chamber drama gets transported to Ireland in Liv Ullmann’s sharp, surprisingly suspenseful adaptation.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nordstrom dropped their holiday gift guide, which includes a Rebecca Minkoff purse and Land’s End loafers — both on sale now.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Lee’s content has shown her love for the collaborative relationship between Simone Rocha and Crocs; the brands dropped their spring 2026 collection this month.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just under two million Palestinians—virtually the entire population of Gaza—have been displaced since October 2023, many repeatedly, and Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 percent of homes in the Strip.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Teddy is a conspiracy theorist who believes Michelle is an alien hellbent on destroying Earth.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Over time, this computer becomes a deadly antagonist of the astronauts on the ship.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said before the Monday celebration that after a difficult year, which included deadly wildfires, Los Angeles deserves something positive.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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