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
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
And that creates just the kind of atmosphere where strong men emerge promising to solve all of our problems in one fell swoop.
—NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
Not even when Mourning was felled by kidney disease, when Tim Hardaway could manage little more than a limp, when Dwyane Wade regrettably was allowed to depart in free agency to the Bulls.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The mascara is made with rich black pigments that define lashes in one fell swoop, plus nourishing peptides and shea butter to condition them at the same time.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
And that creates just the kind of atmosphere where strong men emerge promising to solve all of our problems in one fell swoop.
—NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
-
According to Taleblu from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Ukraine has found some success in downing drones with fighter jet cannon fire, a more sustainable deterrent than missile interceptors.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Frustrated residents struggled to navigate shifting poll sites, downed websites and long, winding election lines.—
Jamie Landers,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Apply the rule of one-third when mowing to prevent stressing the existing grass.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Avoid mowing your lawn too short; longer blades of grass will help shade out emerging weeds like dandelions.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The long-simmering rivalry between Sunni and Shiite Muslims erupted into a civil war that killed tens of thousands of civilians.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many diseases are more infectious and more lethal than COVID-19 was, and the next such pandemic could prove to be our species’ undoing.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Nicholas and three of his playmates at the day care were poisoned by the lethal opioid, which the owners stored in a nap room, officials said.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
They were met with savage brutality, with as many as 30,000 murdered by their own government.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
-
But they were met with savage brutality, with as many as 30,000 souls murdered by their own government.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutors dropped seven other charges in a plea deal, including two counts of hiding a corpse and theft.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
While there was a Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills for years, that hotel dropped the affiliation nearly two decades ago, making this a true return to the United States for the brand.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The port has already planted acres of mangroves and sea grass and donated the land to the state of Florida to offset the habitat that would be destroyed during dredging.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The reasons for this cautious response are many, ranging from the precarious diplomatic implications of the conflict, disruptions to its energy security, and the embarrassing implications of allowing an ally to be destroyed.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Dan Morrison Eleven different countries have asked Ukraine for help in countering Iran's deadly Shahed drones, with request for interceptors, electronic warfare systems and training, Ukrainian Presiden Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Yet Aster diagnoses them, and everyone else, with a deadly case of social media brain rot.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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