1
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
a champion boxer who was shockingly felled in the first round
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2
as in mowing
to bring down by cutting
the settlers began the daunting task of felling the mighty trees that blanketed the island
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3
as in killing
to deprive of life
the quest for a cure for malaria, the disease that felled so many during the digging of the Panama Canal
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Recent Examples of felling
In wildfire prone areas, that can mean felling trees and clearing vegetation to create a defense zone around homes and buildings.
—
Contessa Brewer,dawn Giel, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
While Healey, 54, was bogged down over issues like Canadian energy, trade, tourism and tariffs, as well as meetings with Canadian premiers, Wu, 40, was in Nova Scotia felling a huge Christmas tree.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
This year, the Pahang state government has led enforcement operations that involved felling decades-old durian trees and issued eviction notices to farmers, which the farmers have disputed.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Grainier‘s an itinerant lumber man who worked the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century, felling timber and building railroads.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
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
Contessa Brewer,dawn Giel, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
While Healey, 54, was bogged down over issues like Canadian energy, trade, tourism and tariffs, as well as meetings with Canadian premiers, Wu, 40, was in Nova Scotia felling a huge Christmas tree.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
This year, the Pahang state government has led enforcement operations that involved felling decades-old durian trees and issued eviction notices to farmers, which the farmers have disputed.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Grainier‘s an itinerant lumber man who worked the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century, felling timber and building railroads.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for felling
Verb
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And the Lancers found their shooting touch, hitting 9-of-13 from the field, including dropping three 3s to take a 32-21 halftime lead.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
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Traffic through the critical waterway has since ground to a near halt, with vessels being attacked and insurers dropping maritime coverage.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just as mowing wet grass can be harmful to lawns, mowing during the hottest part of the day can cause unnecessary stress to turfgrasses, particularly during mid-summer.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
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Wait Until the Grass Is Dry Wait until the grass is dry before mowing.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three glide bombs struck the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing four people, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said Tuesday.—
HANNA ARHIROVA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the split-screen beside him, footage of air defenses downing Iranian Shahed drones appeared to underscore his point.—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
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An estimated 50,000 pounds of ice collapsed the sanctuary roof, destroying nearly everything.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Separately, emergency crews in Oman are battling a fire at fuel storage tanks, after a social media video geolocated by CNN appeared to show an Iranian drone hitting a tank at the port.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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Another officer returned fire, hitting Rivera twice.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 16-year-old son of slaying victim Yesenia Hall heard his mom’s screams from the bedroom of their third-floor apartment early Saturday.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2026
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Robert Early Madden, 37, was found guilty by a San Diego Superior Court jury of first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of committing the killing during a robbery for the July 15, 2024, slaying of 38-year-old Senait Legesse.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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From Iraq to Afghanistan, toppling governments proved far easier than building lasting peace.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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Their opposition to the attacks comes despite financial support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which has come out strongly in favor of toppling the Iranian regime.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Felling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/felling. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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