downside

noun

down·​side ˈdau̇n-ˌsīd How to pronounce downside (audio)
Synonyms of downsidenext
1
: a downward trend (as of prices)
2
: a negative aspect
the downside of fame

Synonyms of downside

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Examples of downside in a Sentence

He could find no downside to the car. the downside of living in the country is, of course, the long commute to work
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Vucic’s ousting shows the downside of that approach, as the whole relationship will have to be rebuilt from the ground up. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026 Maybe not, but the upside would never trump the downside because the jig was up. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2026 But Scanlon said there’s a downside, as well, to rolling out bold reform ideas now. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026 But no, that doesn’t mean that people will feel good about the downsides. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downside

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downside was in 1905

Phrases Containing downside

Rhymes for downside

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Browse Nearby Words

downshift
downside
downside up
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Cite this Entry

“Downside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downside. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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