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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
The previous administration was felled by the emotional gap between the actual economy (pretty good) and how people felt about it (pretty bad).
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The eight inaugural Chicago-area Jack in the Boxes are all corporate owned and occupy former Arby’s restaurants acquired in one fell swoop from a large franchise operator to get the brand reestablished quickly in the market, Ingram said.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Verb
The first phase of the project also requires felling 50 square miles of pristine rainforest.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
The previous administration was felled by the emotional gap between the actual economy (pretty good) and how people felt about it (pretty bad).
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Though small in stature, Duiker Island serves as one of Cape Town’s crown jewels for ecotourism, showcasing the stunning beauty of the Atlantic and the African continent all in one fell swoop.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The eight inaugural Chicago-area Jack in the Boxes are all corporate owned and occupy former Arby’s restaurants acquired in one fell swoop from a large franchise operator to get the brand reestablished quickly in the market, Ingram said.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
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Quinn Jordan and Rylie McQuade tallied two goals apiece as Sandwich (6-0) downed Nauset, 5-0.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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The Broncos, though, are coming off two 2024 losses to the Bolts, as quarterback Justin Herbert and coach Jim Harbaugh’s run game downed Denver in both divisional matchups.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Just before overseeding, reduce the mowing height of the existing grass by 25 percent.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
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Avoid heavy foot traffic on the grass and don’t mow it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At least three people were killed in Zaporizhzhia, the president said.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
22 Sep. 2025
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The statistics tellingly include the death toll in the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, a white supremacist plot that killed 168 people.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Advocacy groups have also raised concerns, noting Arizona's troubled history with executions, including a series of botched lethal injections that led to an eight-year pause before the state resumed the practice in 2022.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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For children with sepsis, a potentially lethal reaction by the body to infection that causes 20% of deaths worldwide, the wait can prove deadly.—
Brian Simpson,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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My father was a thirty-two-year-old tank commander who had crossed to occupied France shortly after D-Day, fought in the savage battle for Caen and then on through northern France.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
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This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.—
Charlotte Walsh,
People.com,
1 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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Generally, the weather begins to cool down in late September as temperatures begin to drop below 70 degrees.—
Jordan Green,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a poignant touch, the seating within is made of wood sourced from ancient cedar trees, which previously grew near a Japanese temple destroyed by the earthquake.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Sep. 2025
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His death destroyed the agent’s two-year path to take down the Invernizzi family.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Last week's deadly shooting also heightens concerns of university safety protocols and security at public events.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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The mid-air collision sent both aircraft hurtling into the Potomac River and left no survivors, becoming the deadliest airline crash in the country since 2001.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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