How to Use downward in a Sentence

downward

1 of 2 adverb
  • The mountain streams flow downward to the lake.
  • Mud covered his pants from the knees downward.
  • Drafts can pass downward, as well.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The left thumb should point downward along the grip and shaft.
    — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The spots spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
    — Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 27 Jan. 2024
  • Gray matter shifts downward, as well, from the top of the brain.
    — Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 12 June 2023
  • Car loan rates, too, have been inching downward.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Tax rates are forced downward to keep revenue streams the same year to year.
    — Carmen Nesbitt, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 July 2023
  • The sail should slope slightly downward so that rain doesn’t pool.
    — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
  • Job growth has been trending downward.
    — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The telltale sign of measles is a red rash that starts on the face and spreads downward.
    — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Start from the top of the vehicle and work downward.
    — Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The light box should project downward toward the eyes at an angle.
    — Allison Aubrey, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Lie back on the bed with your head tilted slightly downward off the bed.
    — Jakob Roze, Health, 2 Nov. 2025
  • This caused the plane to spiral downward and crash into the ocean.
    — Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
  • As the plant grows, the roots reach downward toward the water.
    — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Starting at the top, or crown of the fruit, start peeling downward.
    — Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025
  • On takeoff, the front four point skyward while the back four face downward.
    — Jeremy White, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2024
  • If needed, aim the bear spray slightly downward in front of the bear's head.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The surface freezes first, and the sheet thickens downward.
    — Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
  • Gently move your chin downward toward your chest.
    — Kristen Fischer, Health, 17 Apr. 2026
  • As the water is pushed downward, some is pushed out to sea and some is pushed toward the coast.
    — Javier Zarracina, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023
  • The thicker part of the root will likely lay downward at an angle.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Coach Todd Golden just stared downward and shook his head.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Give five quick thrusts downward so the breastbone gets pushed in about 1 and a half inches.
    — Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 5 June 2023
  • The rash usually appears first on the head and then moves downward.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The rash usually appears first on the head and then moves downward.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 24 Dec. 2025
  • Spoon your frosting into the cone and gently squeeze downward through the open tip.
    — Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Spoon your frosting into the cone and gently squeeze downward through the open tip.
    — Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
  • Spoon your frosting into the cone and gently squeeze downward through the open tip.
    — Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025

downward

2 of 2 adjective
  • Sales continued their downward trend.
  • If this starts to be a downward slope.
    — Eduardo Razo, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Pull the ball back like a weapon, ready for the downward blow.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
  • This also gives roots more space to grow downward.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
  • His dad’s shot was pure strength and downward pressure.
    — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 22 May 2026
  • At the bottom of the downward slope, the road makes a sharp right turn.
    — Edie Peffley, NBC news, 19 May 2026
  • That’s the biggest downward gap among the states.
    — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
  • And goes down -- slightly downward path, through his wife's body.
    — Maureen Maher, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2024
  • Now shift your hips up and backwards to come into a downward dog.
    — Jenny McCoy, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Demand for workers has been on a downward slope for much of this year.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Antarctic sea ice has been on a steep downward trend for nearly a decade.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
  • Nobody wants to get their hands cut up by a downward moving blade.
    — Vilius Kavaliauskas, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Few expect the downward pressure to let up soon.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The downward trend is because oil has been cheap worldwide.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
  • More than three years later, the pandemic is on a downward trend.
    — Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 5 May 2023
  • Still, Berner is not certain that this downward trend is here to stay.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Charlotte and George’s love story is not all gowns and downward glances.
    — Helena Andrews-Dyer, Washington Post, 5 May 2023
  • First, those high yields may mean that the stock price is on a sharp, downward trajectory.
    — Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
  • For consumers, that may mean less downward pressure on fuel prices.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Always spray at a downward angle.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Vaccination rates for the flu have been on a downward trend in the state for the last five years.
    — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Try to move in long, downward stokes, applying even pressure.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Click on the downward arrow located at the top right corner of the screen.
    — Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 1 Oct. 2023
  • Looking on a year-to-year basis the downward trend is all the more obvious.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
  • The skies are also usually clear due to this downward motion of air.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 7 June 2026
  • Gupta noted that the Iran war could add even more downward pressure to shares.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
  • The technique calls for a player to use his fist to strike the ball at a downward angle, out and away from the body.
    — Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
  • As investors wait for the news, the stock is now starting to rally and filling that downward gap.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Avoid hitting or sweeping the tops of branches in a downward motion.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Here are our picks for supporting those knees and joints on steep inclines and downward descents.
    — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 21 Apr. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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