downward

1 of 2

adverb

down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd 

variants or downwards

ˈdau̇n-wərdz 

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

Synonyms

Adverb

• below
• down
• over

Adjective

• bowed
• down
• downcast
• lowered

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

Adverb

In the aftermath of the Fed’s rate cut on Wednesday, the yield on a 10-year Treasury bond ticked slightly upward, defying the nudge downward by the central bank. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2024

Counts have trended slightly downward over the past week, but as of yesterday, they were still predicted to be medium-high or medium through Sunday. —Arika Herron, Axios, 19 Sep. 2024

Adjective

The fund buys and holds stocks that have dropped out of the top 500, or top 1000 stocks by market capitalization over the past five years, essentially betting that downward momentum will reverse. —Jesse Pound, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2024

The geopolitical climate has also made foreign investors more cautious about investing in China, which is reflected in the drop in foreign direct investment in China since 2022, causing downward pressure on Chinese stock valuations. —Gurufocus, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024

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

Phrases Containing downward

• downward spiral

Kids Definition

downward

1 of 2 adverb

down·​ward ˈdau̇n-wərd 

variants or downwards

-wərdz 

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