as in disadvantages
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success
the downside of living in the country is, of course, the long commute to work
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Recent Examples of downsides
As far as downsides go, the oil may clog pores, and men should avoid it because of its potential anti-androgen effects.
—
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Institutions can’t keep up, and the potential downsides of runaway acceleration are too large.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
There are steep downsides to private investment.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
But those downsides will come with an overwhelming number of benefits, Stone believes.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
The traditional downsides of a pickup, namely an uncomfortable ride quality and a lack of amenities, are now a liability rather than an expectation.
—New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2026
Pros and Cons of Buying Loose Diamonds There are lots of benefits to buying loose diamonds, as well as some downsides.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
The film could have used more visual examples of the benefits and downsides of AI.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
What the testimony doesn’t include, though, is much about the downsides Doyley faced from having another C-section, which could entail a long recovery, infection and other complications, along with the risk of death.
—Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 20 Mar. 2026
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Institutions can’t keep up, and the potential downsides of runaway acceleration are too large.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
There are steep downsides to private investment.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
But those downsides will come with an overwhelming number of benefits, Stone believes.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
The traditional downsides of a pickup, namely an uncomfortable ride quality and a lack of amenities, are now a liability rather than an expectation.
—New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2026
Pros and Cons of Buying Loose Diamonds There are lots of benefits to buying loose diamonds, as well as some downsides.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
The film could have used more visual examples of the benefits and downsides of AI.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
What the testimony doesn’t include, though, is much about the downsides Doyley faced from having another C-section, which could entail a long recovery, infection and other complications, along with the risk of death.
—Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downsides
disadvantages
Noun
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For hitters, there are advantages and disadvantages, and the time of challenges is important — both in the count and when, in the course of a game, a dispute might be raised.—
Neil Nakahodo,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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Yet access is uneven, and many countries outside these major power centers face structural disadvantages.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downsides.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downsides. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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