as in prairie
a broad area of level or rolling treeless country
hold a festival on the downs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in drops
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
downed his opponent with one stunning blow
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in sips
to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat
downing slices of pizza and guzzling bottles of soda
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in dismisses
to reject by or as if by a vote
all attempts to ban indoor smoking had been downed by the town council
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downs
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Needing 30-plus yards for a first down in two plays proved too much, and the Texans turned the ball over on downs.
—Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
After forcing the turnover on downs, the Panthers put together a drive that wound the clock down to 19 seconds and gave Haverhill 81 yards to go in that time.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The Rebels then drove into Centennial territory on their next possession before turning the ball over on downs.
—Frank Rajkowski, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
But from there, the Highlanders’ remaining possessions resulted in a punt, a turnover on downs and then two more punts before the final scoring drive at the end of the game.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The bullpen has been more of a question mark, but Manoah might not really add stability to that unit at this point given his own career ups and downs.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The Titans started five drives inside Denver’s territory as a result of either turnovers, including one on downs, or special teams breakdowns.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The 49ers turned the ball over on downs in the second quarter and 49ers quarterback Grayson Loftis threw an interception to North Carolina’s Greg Smith to end their drive.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Iron production had ups and downs Historical documents from the Mediterranean and modern-day France suggest that the waves of bubonic plague and smallpox might have contributed to the decline in iron production during the 4th and 5th centuries.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Needing 30-plus yards for a first down in two plays proved too much, and the Texans turned the ball over on downs.
—Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
After forcing the turnover on downs, the Panthers put together a drive that wound the clock down to 19 seconds and gave Haverhill 81 yards to go in that time.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The Rebels then drove into Centennial territory on their next possession before turning the ball over on downs.
—Frank Rajkowski, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
But from there, the Highlanders’ remaining possessions resulted in a punt, a turnover on downs and then two more punts before the final scoring drive at the end of the game.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
The bullpen has been more of a question mark, but Manoah might not really add stability to that unit at this point given his own career ups and downs.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The Titans started five drives inside Denver’s territory as a result of either turnovers, including one on downs, or special teams breakdowns.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The 49ers turned the ball over on downs in the second quarter and 49ers quarterback Grayson Loftis threw an interception to North Carolina’s Greg Smith to end their drive.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
In between questions about Nineties cultural touchstones like Friends, Space Jam, Beavis and Butthead, the Spice Girls, and Sir-Mix-A-Lot — during which Kravitz racks up a lot of points and Butler downs a lot of shots — the pair also discusses working on Caught Stealing.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downs
Noun
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Additional changes in the new beach include a stabilizing stone wall, dry prairie grasses to deter birds and sand with larger grain size.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Hailing from the prairies of North America, this salvia is an end-of-the-season stunner that produces tall spikes of sky-blue flowers in late summer.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If too high, the economy slows down, and employment typically drops.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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As the light drops, the stillness of the dark comes on, the trees acquire their night-time solidity, and the hooting of the owls begins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Judge dismisses case against 'fake electors' in Michigan Congress to hear more about UFOs.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Ashton also dismisses the concerns that a three-year degree lacks the many electives and opportunities for self-discovery.—
Bryan Penprase,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Some invasive ornamental grasses include pampas grass, Mexican feather grass, and fountaingrass.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia CNN — Grasslands — also known as prairies, steppes, pampas or savannas — are home to 25% of the world’s population and all kinds of plants and wildlife, including elephants, rhinos and lions.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN,
6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Taroko Gorge, however, carves breathtaking grandeur from marble stone; a natural cathedral of cliffs, where suspension bridges sway above rapids and swallows dart through narrow canyons.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Neurocysticercosis occurs after a person swallows pork tapeworm eggs, according to the CDC.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Gay attraction, for David (and this, too, echoes across Baldwin’s work), can only ever be masc4masc; effeminacy always kills desire.—
Garth Greenwell,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The assault keeps him out of the combine and more or less kills his momentum.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The study, conducted by Keith Sockman, associate professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, examined flying insect abundance over 15 seasons from 2004 to 2024 in a high-altitude meadow in Colorado.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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Tucked into the whispering meadows of the Netherlands, Hof van Saksen is a majestic eco-resort—a former noble estate reborn as a family-first urban oasis spanning over 160 lush acres.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Capped at 50 members, the jury evaluates every new vehicle, technology and feature that hits the market annually.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
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Many of the answers to that question won’t be popular, but governments are aware of the need to address the issue before crisis hits.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downs. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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