down·hill
ˌdau̇n-ˈhil 
1
: toward the bottom of a hill
2
: toward a worsened or inferior state or level
—used especially in the phrase go downhill
down·hill
ˈdau̇n-ˌhil
1
: a descending slope
2
a
: the sport of skiing on downhill trails
—often used attributively
b
: a skiing race against time down a trail
finished second in the downhill
down·hill
ˈdau̇n-ˌhil
1
: not difficult : easy
after that problem the rest was downhill
2
: sloping downhill
3
: closer to the bottom of an incline
your downhill ski
4
: progressively worse
5
American football
: relating to, employing, or being a style of running in which a ballcarrier moves powerfully forward into the line of scrimmage and down the field toward the opponent's end zone without a lot of movement toward the sidelines to avoid tacklers
a downhill runner
The Tigers use their tight ends as blockers. They're more suited to an assertive, downhill running game now.—
Bernie Miklasz
Bernie MiklaszExamples of downhill in a Sentence
Adverb
It is easier to ride a bike downhill than uphill.
Her career is heading downhill.
After his divorce, he went downhill fast.
The service has gone downhill under the new owner.
Noun
most runners will have their best splits on the downhills
Adjective
The second half of the hike is mostly downhill.
The worst part is over. It's all downhill from here.
The first part of the movie was pretty good, but after that it was all downhill.
His career has been all downhill in recent years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
This month, après-ski parties of this unruly sort are taking over the slopes across North America to celebrate downhill skiing’s legendary pond skim.
—Anna Fiorentino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Some of them are physical, downhill runners, and some of them are guys who can take a misdirection, scissors-type run and go the other direction with it.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2025
Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
This can lead to situations – such as Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze’s gold medal tie in the women’s downhill ski race at the 2014 Sochi Olympics – in which the timing officials admitted that their equipment could have revealed the actual winner.
—Arthur Daemmrich, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downhill
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Adverb
South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. — Knight, who produced 229 tackles (16.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks and four interceptions during his college career, is an old-school, downhill thumper as a linebacker.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
This month, après-ski parties of this unruly sort are taking over the slopes across North America to celebrate downhill skiing’s legendary pond skim.
—Anna Fiorentino, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
Except for March 22 when high winds caused the cancellation of the men’s and women’s downhill races, the 5850 Fest went off without a hitch.
—Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Some of them are physical, downhill runners, and some of them are guys who can take a misdirection, scissors-type run and go the other direction with it.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
On Monday, for example, Vancouver’s first power-play unit ran two defenders, with Hughes regularly playing on his downhill side at the right flank while Hronek manned the point atop the Canucks’ five-on-four umbrella.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
This can lead to situations – such as Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze’s gold medal tie in the women’s downhill ski race at the 2014 Sochi Olympics – in which the timing officials admitted that their equipment could have revealed the actual winner.
—Arthur Daemmrich, The Conversation, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downhill
Cite this Entry
“Downhill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downhill. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downhill
1 of 3 adverb
down·hill
ˌdau̇n-ˈhil
1
: toward the bottom of a hill
sleds speeding downhill
2
: toward a worsened or lower state or level
her health went downhill quickly
downhill
2 of 3 adjective
down·hill
ˈdau̇n-ˌhil
: sloping downhill
downhill
3 of 3 noun
down·hill
-ˌhil
1
: the sport of skiing on downhill trails
downhill skiing
2
: a skiing race against time down a trail
finished second in the downhill
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