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
Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Most of these brands are still relatively up-and-coming in South Korea, and in bringing them Stateside in one fell swoop, Ulta looks to be a first-mover in the fast-growing Korean hair care category.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Last season, Breslow made a franchise-altering trade in sending Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in an effort to recalibrate the clubhouse dynamics and the franchise’s finances in one fell swoop.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
Most of these brands are still relatively up-and-coming in South Korea, and in bringing them Stateside in one fell swoop, Ulta looks to be a first-mover in the fast-growing Korean hair care category.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
-
Report downed power lines to the police.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
-
Late in the play, after rough shots of Cutty Sark have been downed, and now richer, mellower sips of Johnnie Walker Blue Label are taking hold, the combative card game mellows and expands into life lessons.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Leave enough room to mow around the tree, cut it back each season, and make any repairs to your fence, such as staining or board replacement.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
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During air quality advisories, Derf recommends people avoid idling in a drive-thru for too long or mowing during air quality advisories because that could increase emissions.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
One of the high-profile cases to emerge from last year’s immigration crackdown was the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas González, a father of two shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic stop last September in Franklin Park.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
The 2022 crash killed sheriff’s recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza and seriously injured 10 others.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Prosecutors also displayed the internet search history from Richins’ phone, which included queries about the lethal dose of fentanyl, luxury prisons and how poisoning is marked on a death certificate.—
Hannah Schoenbaum,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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In a letter last month, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notified federal grant recipients that the government would no longer pay for test strips and kits that help drug users see if their drugs contain highly-lethal additives.—
Mike Stobbe,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Critic Rex Reed, who died Tuesday at 87, built his career on savage, acerbic reviews delivered with little restraint, earning a reputation as a provocateur.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Initially a beachy utopia where the children run free among nature, things become increasingly savage as help appears to be ever further away.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Prices have dropped, and buyers have more room to negotiate than before.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
-
The Dodgers dropped outfielder Kyle Tucker to sixth in the lineup Friday, in a batting order Roberts said was designed to combat Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Onions can be used as a companion plant to carrots to keep away the destructive carrot fly, a pest that can stunt the growth of carrots and even destroy entire plantings.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
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If an Entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or destroyed, entrant’s sole remedy shall be another entry into the Sweepstakes.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
At least 18 people are currently under observation at two of the nation’s top medical centers after being potentially exposed to hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of the deadly outbreak.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Fifteen people jailed at Rikers died that year, the beginning of an uptick toward the deadliest annual figures in almost a decade.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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