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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
If a tree is found to be infested, Ewing recommends felling it and disposing of the wood by cutting it into chips and composting it.
—Calista Oetama, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2025
Sam Winter-Levy, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2025
There are occasions, however, when the platform spaces out its programming to prolong the rush binge viewers get watching several episodes in one fell swoop.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
Four years after that, on June 2, 2017, career game number 283, another fastball felled the Brewers’ Jonathan Villar for number 2,000, which was one of 14 strikeouts that day in Milwaukee.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
If a tree is found to be infested, Ewing recommends felling it and disposing of the wood by cutting it into chips and composting it.
—Calista Oetama, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2025
Adjective
But taking out an entire command-and-control system in one fell swoop will never be straightforward, even with advanced technology.
—Sam Winter-Levy, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2025
There are occasions, however, when the platform spaces out its programming to prolong the rush binge viewers get watching several episodes in one fell swoop.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
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The air force downed or suppressed 87.2% of all drones and 73% of missiles during June.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
1 Aug. 2025
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Much of the Pacific coast of North America, spanning from British Columbia in Canada to down the U.S. West Coast and into Mexico was under a tsunami advisory.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 July 2025
Verb
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In Savannah, Georgia, landscaper Darius Cowherd took a break Tuesday in the cab of his work truck after spending the morning mowing grass, trimming bushes and blowing leaves in Forsyth Park in the coastal city’s downtown historic district.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 July 2025
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For instance, even small jobs like mowing a lawn, walking a dog, washing a car, or pulling weeds can teach children the basics of earning side money.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Weather systems Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter were classified as tropical storms earlier this year, as Barry caused flooding in southeastern Mexico and Central Texas, where flooding killed more than 130 people.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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The storm killed more than 400 people and caused more than $100 million in damage, or $2.3 billion in today’s dollars.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Whether that lethal combination continues moving forward, time will tell.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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The prosecuting attorney for the 23rd Judicial District has ruled that two Cabot Police Department officers were justified in using lethal force in a May incident that didn't result in death or injury, the Arkansas State Police announced Tuesday.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Verb
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Almost a year later, the criminal charges were dropped but the horses were never returned to him.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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New episodes drop every Wednesday and feature interviews with everyone from songwriter Margo Price to comedian Dusty Slay.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But when our home was destroyed, our studio lost, and the war displaced us to Khanyounis’s tent camps, cooking became less about flavor and more about survival.—
Hamada Shaqoura,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
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There were 25 diesel buses that were destroyed per the grant regulations, Young said.—
Harley Walls,
Arkansas Online,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Police chases in Milwaukee have become increasingly deadly Police pursuits are so frequent, Milwaukee officers engage in between two and three every day, according to a city report in 2024.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Malaria, the most deadly parasite infection in the world, is most commonly caused by the protozoa parasite Plasmodium falciparum.4 Ectoparasites: These parasites usually live on (not in) their host.—
Jenna Anderson,
Health,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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