1
as in to down
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
a champion boxer who was shockingly felled in the first round
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to mow
to bring down by cutting
the settlers began the daunting task of felling the mighty trees that blanketed the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to kill
to deprive of life
the quest for a cure for malaria, the disease that felled so many during the digging of the Panama Canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
planning for the distribution of resources in case of some fell event
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a once-mighty nation conquered by a fell and barbarous enemy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, every member of his patrol survived, except Travis, who was felled by an enemy sniper.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Jolene Edgar, Allure, 11 Dec. 2025
Nuclear fusion, a scientific endeavor that would, if it were achieved in a scalable, widely-deployable fashion, solve the energy and climate crises in one fell swoop, receives less funding, annually, than peanut subsidies do in the United States.
—Big Think, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
France passes budget after failed no-confidence votes France passed an annual budget, ending a long-running debacle that felled prime ministers, amplified support for the far right, and raised doubts over the country’s long-term finances.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, every member of his patrol survived, except Travis, who was felled by an enemy sniper.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
In some practices, the standard hip-to-hip tummy tuck is taking a backseat to extended and circumferential versions of the procedure, which sculpt the entire torso in one fell swoop.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 11 Dec. 2025
Nuclear fusion, a scientific endeavor that would, if it were achieved in a scalable, widely-deployable fashion, solve the energy and climate crises in one fell swoop, receives less funding, annually, than peanut subsidies do in the United States.
—Big Think, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
-
Keller eases past Eaton in finale Keller got 14 points from Mia Arnold as the Indians downed Haslet Eaton 47-40 in a District 4-6A contest.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Report downed power lines to the police.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some weeds such as rescue grass and annual bluegrass produce an attractive winter lawn if they are mowed on a regular basis.—
Calvin Finch,
San Antonio Express-News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Keep lawns breathable by removing leaves, mowing before winter, and avoiding foot traffic or snow piles.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Democrats demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for voting to fund DHS after Alex Pretti was killed last month in Minneapolis.—
Riley Beggin,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Cuba said 32 of its citizens were killed in the attack.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But humans have been lethal to stoats in return, especially when their pelts turn white.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The state is now in the process of transitioning from lethal injection to a firing squad as its lead execution method.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On his second, Dominique pulled off a savage windmill, the same dunk that had earned a perfect score the year before and won him the title.—
Kevin Sherrington
Feb. 10,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Meantime, outflows both from both software and crypto (an asset class most correlated with unprofitable tech stocks) grew excessive until the savage software/bitcoin selloff hit an extreme Thursday, when money came sloshing in to catch the falling knives.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump later dropped that threat.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
My favorite scene of them all, though, is the final cruise through their stomping grounds as Play, Kid, and their friend DJ Bilal (Martin Lawrence) drop Sharane and Sydney off at their cribs after bailing Kid out of jail.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Shipwreck hunters have been searching the lakes with more urgency in recent years out of concerns that invasive quagga mussels are slowly destroying wrecks.—
Todd Richmond,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
However, archaeologists faced a significant challenge—how to penetrate its secrets without destroying it in the process?—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His party successfully capitalized on rising nationalism fueled by a deadly border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia last year, economic woes and uncertainty over Thailand’s trade relationship with the United States, and built up a strong local support base.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Prosecutors say Gray gave his son the weapon used in the deadly shooting for Christmas in 2023, months after his son had been accused of threatening a school shooting online.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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