1
as in dropping
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
downed his opponent with one stunning blow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in sipping
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 dismissing
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 downing
Instead, your last week coincided with the publication of a New York Times profile of you railing at enemies while downing coffee at a burger bar in El Centro.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The Hawks have won 40 games after downing the Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday night.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Some of its members have rallied under the screwy rap banner Chugg, which came from affiliates Cash300 and Onemillionkisses’ birthdays in 2023, when the crew was watching the YouTuber BadlandsChugs, who won a Guinness World Record for downing a liter of Mountain Dew in six seconds.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
And not just from downing nootropic stacks and Chinese peptides, the latest tech-world fad drugs.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drone expertise is valuable, and in exchange for help in downing Iranian drones, Ukraine is seeking funding and technology to increase its own drone production.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 15 Mar. 2026
But with so much to be gained from a higher Premier League finish, Howe cannot simply fixate upon downing Barcelona when the odds are against Newcastle.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
But viewers might not have to fill those three minutes staring at Lionel Messi downing a Gatorade.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
After downing the Golden Grizzlies (1-14) twice Friday, first 6-3, then 10-2, the Aggies (14-1) jumped all over their opponent again Saturday.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
The Hawks have won 40 games after downing the Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday night.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Some of its members have rallied under the screwy rap banner Chugg, which came from affiliates Cash300 and Onemillionkisses’ birthdays in 2023, when the crew was watching the YouTuber BadlandsChugs, who won a Guinness World Record for downing a liter of Mountain Dew in six seconds.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
And not just from downing nootropic stacks and Chinese peptides, the latest tech-world fad drugs.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drone expertise is valuable, and in exchange for help in downing Iranian drones, Ukraine is seeking funding and technology to increase its own drone production.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 15 Mar. 2026
But with so much to be gained from a higher Premier League finish, Howe cannot simply fixate upon downing Barcelona when the odds are against Newcastle.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
But viewers might not have to fill those three minutes staring at Lionel Messi downing a Gatorade.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
After downing the Golden Grizzlies (1-14) twice Friday, first 6-3, then 10-2, the Aggies (14-1) jumped all over their opponent again Saturday.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downing
Verb
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All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson had 17 points and 10 assists to help the Knicks win their second consecutive game after dropping three in a row.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Aitken, last week, asked the city attorney to look into whether dropping the hometown name puts the baseball team in violation of its current lease through 2038 to play in the stadium.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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Rewarding yourself for completing a chore could involve sipping an iced latte while reorganizing your closet or cleaning for 20 minutes, then allowing a 5-minute social media scroll.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Minnesota public universities can continue to offer in-state tuition and scholarships to some immigrants in the country without legal status, a federal judge ruled on Friday, dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice last summer that attempted to halt the programs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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While widely dismissing the appeal, the Court also referred preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding certain aspects of the obligation mechanism, leaving the legal debate open.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.—
April 2,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film also was shown at a number of other festivals before hitting the awards circuit as the Palestinian entry for this year’s Academy Awards.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Speech-language pathologists work with people who have disorders involving speech, language and swallowing, sometimes from injuries, medical conditions or developmental delays.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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When a pet bites into the plant, those crystals embed in mouth tissue, which explains why oral irritation and swallowing difficulty are the primary symptoms.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An unknown assailant shoots up the Vances' house during a Shabbat meal, before killing himself with a cyanide cigarette.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The measure passed, 363–117, killing the death penalty in France.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Iranian diaspora has made its presence felt throughout the three-day gathering, chanting in the convention center halls, sometimes arm-in-arm with the overwhelmingly pro-Trump crowd, and cheering on speakers who support toppling the regime.—
Moriah Thomas,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
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There are also concerns that toppling a regime that's been so firmly in control of the country for nearly half a century, with no obvious new administration waiting to take over, could simply create chaos.—
Haley Ott,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jude, a 12-year-old who gets injured in a firework accident, had been drinking with older kids while dealing with instability at home.—
Jonathan Hunt-Glassman,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Patricia explains the process and reminds the woman that drinking coffee before the screening can affect the results.—
Lisa Hughes,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downing. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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