downward

1 of 2

adverb

down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd How to pronounce downward (audio)
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

downward

2 of 2

adjective

1
: moving or extending downward
2
: descending from a head, origin, or source
downwardly adverb
downwardness noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Though deal counts in women's digital health have trended downward since a 2021 peak, the average deal size has become larger, per a new PitchBook report. Natalie Breymeyer, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025 The share of young adults (age 25 to 34) living with parents has been trending downward since 2020. Brad Hunter, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Breaking the downward pattern that a number of domestic and international festivals have suffered over the past five years or so, Sundance 2024’s total economic impact was up from the $118 million that the 2023 festival brought in. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2025 In early March, prices for the nearby May ICE/NY futures contract dipped below the downward sloping channel that has contained values for the past several months. Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for downward

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downward was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

downward

1 of 2 adverb
down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd How to pronounce downward (audio)
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

Legal Definition

downward

1 of 2 adjective
down·​ward
: going from a higher to a lower level
a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines

downward

2 of 2 adverb
: from a higher to a lower level
instead of following the sentencing guidelines, the court departed downward

More from Merriam-Webster on downward

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!