down·ward
ˈdau̇n-wərd 
variants
or downwards
1
a
: from a higher to a lower place
b
: toward a direction that is the opposite of up
2
: from a higher to a lower condition
3
a
: from an earlier time
b
: from an ancestor or predecessor
1
: moving or extending downward
2
: descending from a head, origin, or source
downwardly
adverb
downwardness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of downward in a Sentence
Adverb
The mountain streams flow downward to the lake.
Mud covered his pants from the knees downward.
Adjective
Sales continued their downward trend.
the downward revision of an estimate
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2024
Arthritis fused his cervical spine, forcing his head downward.
—Phoebe Zerwick, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The bra has two layers, but one clasp brings both layers downward to give easier access for nursing, which our tester liked.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
But the married share has crept downward, and today only about half of adults are married.
—Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Flagstaff’s streetlights use amber LEDs that are directed downward, protecting the city’s dark skies.
—Leslie Camhi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In an attempt to restore bone that had been cut away in prior surgeries, a surgeon implanted long screws into Schmidt's jaw that protruded downward out of her neck.
—Anna Werner, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
Last week a man with an airsoft gun hijacked a Metro bus, and the transit system has been tarred with news reports of random crimes, though data show that violent crime on the system has been ticking downward.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
These structures are recognizable by a central pillar with cables stretching downward to support the bridge.
—Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2024
City officials said this makes sense because there has been a downward trend in the number of recruits at police academies, including only 25 participating in the most recent one.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
That number fell to 31 SPAC IPOs in 2022 and has since continued this downward trend.
—María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
And more than one-third of the 34-member Cincinnati Futures Commission that worked on a plan to reverse the city's downward financial trend come from Indian Hill and Hyde Park − two of the wealthiest areas of the region, The Enquirer found.
—The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
The downward curve represents the most significant year-over-year decrease for Black entrepreneurs in ten years.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies — which forecasts spending on home remodeling and repairs, including in outdoor spaces — anticipates this downward trend will endure for the rest of 2024.
—Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Ohtani is the type of player who transcends the sport and counteracts the downward trend in baseball’s national appeal more than anyone else.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Adverb
Multiple guys told Robb Report at the time that their case size preferences were trending downward.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 13 Apr. 2024
Arthritis fused his cervical spine, forcing his head downward.
—Phoebe Zerwick, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The bra has two layers, but one clasp brings both layers downward to give easier access for nursing, which our tester liked.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
But the married share has crept downward, and today only about half of adults are married.
—Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Flagstaff’s streetlights use amber LEDs that are directed downward, protecting the city’s dark skies.
—Leslie Camhi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
In an attempt to restore bone that had been cut away in prior surgeries, a surgeon implanted long screws into Schmidt's jaw that protruded downward out of her neck.
—Anna Werner, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
Last week a man with an airsoft gun hijacked a Metro bus, and the transit system has been tarred with news reports of random crimes, though data show that violent crime on the system has been ticking downward.
—Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
These structures are recognizable by a central pillar with cables stretching downward to support the bridge.
—Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Keena said a pre-plea presentence investigation by Dakota County Community Corrections also recommended a downward dispositional departure from sentencing guidelines.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2024
City officials said this makes sense because there has been a downward trend in the number of recruits at police academies, including only 25 participating in the most recent one.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
That number fell to 31 SPAC IPOs in 2022 and has since continued this downward trend.
—María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
And more than one-third of the 34-member Cincinnati Futures Commission that worked on a plan to reverse the city's downward financial trend come from Indian Hill and Hyde Park − two of the wealthiest areas of the region, The Enquirer found.
—The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
The downward curve represents the most significant year-over-year decrease for Black entrepreneurs in ten years.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
The downward trend compounded a dip that emerged in late 2022 as on-location filming in Los Angeles took a dive as studios pared back movie and TV production that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies — which forecasts spending on home remodeling and repairs, including in outdoor spaces — anticipates this downward trend will endure for the rest of 2024.
—Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Ohtani is the type of player who transcends the sport and counteracts the downward trend in baseball’s national appeal more than anyone else.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near downward
Cite this Entry
“Downward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downward
1 of 2 adverb
down·ward
ˈdau̇n-wərd
variants
or downwards
1
: from a higher place or condition to a lower one
2
: from an earlier time
downward
2 of 2 adjective
: moving or reaching down
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