FELL Synonyms: 242 Similar and Opposite Words

fell 1 of 2

verb

Definition of fell

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

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

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

fell

2 of 2

adjective

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

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

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.

Recent Examples of fell

Verb

Aalto University / Mahdi Asgari History is filled with stories of the great being felled by the puny. — New Atlas, 19 June 2026 That triggered an Israeli response, culminating in a ferocious campaign that felled much of Hezbollah’s leadership. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026

Adjective

Best Early Amazon Prime Day Fashion Deals Get all your summer outfits lined up in one fell swoop. — Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 22 June 2026 At some point, the company changed its legal strategy toward fighting cases individually instead of trying to settle all of its cases in one fell swoop. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fell

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell

Verb

After the storm, Lake Geneva Mayor Todd Krause declared an emergency and said one person suffered minor injuries after being struck by a falling tree while downed power lines and trees blocked some streets.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Chestnut is now an 18-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion after blowing out the competition once again, this time by downing 66 hot dogs and buns in Coney Island.

— Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of down

Verb

Residents, meanwhile, can help the town’s efforts by reducing standing water around their homes, keeping their lawns mowed and trimmed, keeping rain barrels covered or screened, and cleaning their gutters regularly to prevent accumulated water.

— Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Raise mowing height during dry spells to promote deeper roots and conserve soil moisture.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 June 2026

Definition of mow

Verb

Massive explosions lit up the night sky as ballistic missiles and drones hammered parts of the city, killing at least 14 people in the city and three others in the surrounding region, with dozens more wounded, city officials said.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Alicent and Helaena will be held prisoner until Aemond is found and killed.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Definition of kill

Adjective

The theory is that individuals became infected by a strain that was particularly lethal to the young through close contact with marmots (rodents that are known reservoirs of the plague), perhaps while butchering them.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 July 2026
Hubris and risk aversion make for a lethal cocktail in high-level professional sports.

— Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 6 July 2026

Definition of lethal

Verb

The most violent wind report came from Northbrook, where half of a roof on a 20-car garage was lifted and then dropped, damaging at least seven cars in a parking shelter for a condominium.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Police release video of the person racing across the roof of the building from where authorities say the shot was fired, dropping down to the ground and walking off campus.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026

Definition of drop

Verb

The most common type of dementia, which destroys memory and cognitive function, was responsible for 116,022 deaths in 2024, NCHS data shows.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
That book is a revenge fantasy about the former art school professor who seduced her, discarded her and destroyed her confidence as a painter.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 2 July 2026

Definition of destroy

Adjective

When the Guadalupe River surged through Texas Hill Country last summer, Elida Sierra Lutz and her three children were swept into the deadly flooding like debris in the current.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Written and directed by YouTube filmmaker Curry Barker, the film, made for $750,000, tells a twisted tale of love with deadly consequences.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of deadly

Browse Nearby Words

felines

fell

fella

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fell

verb

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on fell

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes