How to Use downward in a Sentence

downward

1 of 2 adverb
  • The mountain streams flow downward to the lake.
  • Mud covered his pants from the knees downward.
  • The spots spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
    Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 27 Jan. 2024
  • Gray matter shifts downward, as well, from the top of the brain.
    Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 12 June 2023
  • Over a trash can, start at the tip and grab the husk and silk, pulling downward toward the thicker end of the ear.
    Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 8 July 2023
  • Tax rates are forced downward to keep revenue streams the same year to year.
    Carmen Nesbitt, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 July 2023
  • As the water is pushed downward, some is pushed out to sea and some is pushed toward the coast.
    Javier Zarracina, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023
  • And the word is redefined back downward when the needs of the narrative change.
    Wilfred Reilly, National Review, 27 Nov. 2023
  • On takeoff, the front four point skyward while the back four face downward.
    Jeremy White, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2024
  • And the surge in homicides is fast heading back downward.
    Marshall Ingwerson, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Dec. 2023
  • Arms: Stroke can cause a person’s limbs to drift downward.
    Maggie O'Neill, Health, 9 Nov. 2023
  • Give five quick thrusts downward so the breastbone gets pushed in about 1 and a half inches.
    Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 5 June 2023
  • This tomato disease tends to start in the canopy of the plant, then slowly spreads downward.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2023
  • Gomez grabs the boy’s right arm and bends his hand downward so that the hand is almost touching the forearm.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The idea is that these machines can pull warmer air downward, keeping the freeze from settling on the plants.
    Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The pilot dropped his wheels and nosed the plane downward, seemingly into the void.
    Clay Risen, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2023
  • The forecasts will be revised downward if the market falls sharply.
    Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 16 June 2023
  • Smith, who was standing in the risers behind the podium, slunk downward and was helped off the stage.
    Greg Riddle, Dallas News, 27 May 2023
  • On an iPhone, access the search bar by swiping your finger downward on the home screen.
    Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 3 May 2023
  • The plane is turning and heading downward and the pilot isn’t helping.
    Julia Craven, Popular Science, 15 June 2023
  • When the trigger is pressed, the sear rotates downward, releasing the striker and firing the gun.
    Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2023
  • McKay does not appear to point the gun at officers but holds it in his lap or aims it downward, the video shows.
    Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2024
  • Again, things start off bad—with a hit-and-run accident—and spiral downward.
    WIRED, 21 June 2023
  • Some of Tibi’s florals and swirls drew the eye downward, a quiet provocation.
    Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
  • Gas prices fell through most of the second half of 2022, increased, and then began edging downward — again.
    Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 8 May 2023
  • But the married share has crept downward, and today only about half of adults are married.
    Nicholas Kristof, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
  • Place plates in the lower rack and stack pots and pans with the opening facing downward or at an angle so the spray arms can reach all the nooks and crannies.
    Susan Hall Mahon, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2023
  • Next, with your free hand, hold your skin taut while the other moves the device downward in short, precise motions.
    Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Aug. 2023
  • Inflation peaked in the CPI at nearly 9% last June and has trended downward since.
    Joseph Lawler, Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2023
  • 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
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downward

2 of 2 adjective
  • Sales continued their downward trend.
  • The trend has been downward for 10 years, the surveys show.
    The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024
  • Ratings have been on a downward trend in the past few years.
    Kirthana Ramisetti, ELLE, 12 Apr. 2023
  • Click on the downward arrow located at the top right corner of the screen.
    Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 1 Oct. 2023
  • And goes down -- slightly downward path, through his wife's body.
    Maureen Maher, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2024
  • Looking on a year-to-year basis the downward trend is all the more obvious.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
  • To do so, open the playlist or album, then tap the download button (the downward arrow in the top right corner) to save the tracks.
    David Nield, Popular Science, 11 Apr. 2023
  • Charlotte and George’s love story is not all gowns and downward glances.
    Helena Andrews-Dyer, Washington Post, 5 May 2023
  • Match Me Abroad’s Harold is stretching himself to find love, one downward dog at a time.
    Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 7 July 2023
  • See a show or do a downward dog at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2023
  • More than three years later, the pandemic is on a downward trend.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
  • At the same time, the upper half of the cylinder is full of exhaust, and with the downward force of the piston, that exhaust is expelled from the cylinder (stroke 2).
    Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 16 Aug. 2023
  • Thus, with some ups and downs, the long-term trend has clearly been downward as the world has warmed — and the Arctic has warmed as much as four times as fast as the globe as a whole.
    Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2023
  • These downward trends aren’t just a blip but a sign of what’s to come in the ensuing decades thanks to A.I., McKinsey forecasts.
    Chloe Berger, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2023
  • The research found that since August, monthly deal value has been on a downward trend.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023
  • But in 2016, sea ice in Antarctica began a steady downward trend.
    Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Sep. 2023
  • The overall downward trend, though, has caused Brown-Forman to lower its net sales forecast for 2024.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2023
  • Using a slightly smaller drill bit than the nail, drill into the wall at a downward angle so the nail can function as a hook.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Here are our picks for supporting those knees and joints on steep inclines and downward descents.
    Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 21 Apr. 2023
  • The men sit on their mats and take a deep breath before pushing up the sleeves on their worn jumpsuits and transitioning into the first pose of the day—downward dog.
    Andi Breitowich, Men's Health, 1 May 2023
  • One deputy appears to make downward striking motions with his arm in the direction of Otieno, according to the footage.
    Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Using downward strokes, run a plastic smoothing tool ($9, The Home Depot) along the wall to remove air bubbles.
    Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023
  • Mortgage rates will probably make a downward turn this year — but not in July.
    Holden Lewis, oregonlive, 6 July 2023
  • The central bank, as a result, could opt to keep rates at their current level to try to ensure that prices resume their downward path.
    Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2023
  • Urías has the most experience, but his career has taken a downward turn the last two seasons.
    Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
  • His slider and sinker thus moved side-to-side without downward break, staying in the nitro zone of Arizona hitters.
    Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 28 May 2023
  • Based on this larger downward trend, the study concludes that the fallout from the era of Peak TV may be impacting the job market more than the labor actions.
    Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2023
  • In the clip, David, 48, is wearing a pair of short and fitted blue shorts while doing a series of push ups into a downward dog position.
    Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2023
  • Working a topwater with maximum action means quick snaps of the rod tip in a downward motion.
    Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 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

Some of 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.

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