downhill

1 of 3

adverb

down·​hill ˌdau̇n-ˈhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
1
: toward the bottom of a hill
2
: toward a worsened or inferior state or level
used especially in the phrase go downhill

downhill

2 of 3

noun

down·​hill ˈdau̇n-ˌhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
1
: a descending slope
2
a
: the sport of skiing on downhill trails
often used attributively
b
: a skiing race against time down a trail
finished second in the downhill

downhill

3 of 3

adjective

down·​hill ˈdau̇n-ˌhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
1
: not difficult : easy
after that problem the rest was downhill
2
: sloping downhill
3
: closer to the bottom of an incline
your downhill ski
4
: progressively worse
5
American football : relating to, employing, or being a style of running in which a ballcarrier moves powerfully forward into the line of scrimmage and down the field toward the opponent's end zone without a lot of movement toward the sidelines to avoid tacklers
a downhill runner
The Tigers use their tight ends as blockers. They're more suited to an assertive, downhill running game now.Bernie Miklasz

Examples of downhill in a Sentence

Adverb It is easier to ride a bike downhill than uphill. Her career is heading downhill. After his divorce, he went downhill fast. The service has gone downhill under the new owner. Noun most runners will have their best splits on the downhills Adjective The second half of the hike is mostly downhill. The worst part is over. It's all downhill from here. The first part of the movie was pretty good, but after that it was all downhill. His career has been all downhill in recent years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
The central summit area is marked by several elevated mesas forming an arc, reaching a regional high and sloping downhill away from the summit area. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 Over 150 vendor tables of all brands diecast, raffles, downhill Hot Wheels racing and more. Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024 Mamby, a former super lightweight champion, becomes the oldest boxer in a sanctioned fight. 2008 — Lindsey Vonn wins her 10th career World Cup downhill to break the U.S. record held by Picabo Street and Daron Rahlves. Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 These are often best for young children and toddlers who aren’t ready to go downhill. Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 The event also boosted Chamonix’s role as a host of major winter and summer sports events — including downhill and slalom world championships, marathons, climbing and more — and put it on the map as a tourist destination for enthusiasts, according to the IOC. USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 Hicks is a two-year starter and tone-setting tackler who consistently makes plays downhill. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Feb. 2024 The region’s diverse terrain caters to all biking disciplines, from exhilarating downhill and cross-country trails to scenic road routes, with the growing popularity of e-bikes making these adventures more accessible for riders of varying skill levels. Jonny Bierman, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 The 26-inch-wide diameter is perfect for one child to sit cross-legged while careening downhill. Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
If one day of skiing leaves you with wobbly legs and your fill of downhill action, there's a lot more going on at the base of the peaks. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Hall’s jumper in the paint and Hoggard’s downhill drive sparked things. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 31 Jan. 2024 Snow conditions for downhill skiing and snowboarding in Wisconsin NORTHERN WISCONSIN Excellent condition: Keyes Peak Ski Hill in Florence County, base of 12-24 inches, all runs open. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2024 Since there are no handles, the front child can also hang onto the lanyard during the downhill for added stability. Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 His union busting hurt the Wisconsin middle class and started a long downhill spiral. Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2024 She’s won eight races, including a downhill in St. Moritz, and has a significant lead in the standings for what would be her sixth overall title. USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024 Lessons are useful for learning things like how to dismount a ski lift properly, how and where to stop, and who has the right-of-way on the downhill (anyone in front of you). Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 27 Dec. 2023 The most successful skier of all time suffered a knee injury after crashing out of a World Cup downhill event in Italy and is now undergoing rehab. Ben Church, CNN, 8 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The American overall champion, who had already won the downhill title, beats Marion Rolland of France by 0.92 seconds. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game, Hollis unsuccessfully tried to navigate a downhill left turn when her snowmobile hit a tree. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 This is an excellent middle-of-the-road boot for a beginner-to-intermediate downhill skier who doesn’t need a super soft boot, but isn’t in the market for a hard-charging model. Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2023 Spring skiing brings out the best in downhill enthusiasts. Roger Sands, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 In 1994, thinning ice ended the race early, while a severe cold snap in 2017 forced organizers to make last-minute changes to the usual route, including limiting a number of downhill slopes. Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 Mikaela Shiffrin appears to have escaped serious injury after a crash during a downhill race at the venue for the 2026 Olympics. USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024 Based on the Wisconsin Snow Report, compiled by Travel Wisconsin from observer reports, here is a look at snow depth for downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing around the state as of Feb. 8, emphasizing spots with the best current conditions. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2024 Top speed on flat ground is 20 kilometers per hour, a number that seems to beg for pushing the envelope via a downhill slope. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of downhill was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near downhill

Cite this Entry

“Downhill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downhill. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

downhill

1 of 3 adverb
down·​hill ˌdau̇n-ˈhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
1
: toward the bottom of a hill
sleds speeding downhill
2
: toward a worsened or lower state or level
her health went downhill quickly

downhill

2 of 3 adjective
down·​hill ˈdau̇n-ˌhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
: sloping downhill

downhill

3 of 3 noun
down·​hill -ˌhil How to pronounce downhill (audio)
1
: the sport of skiing on downhill trails
downhill skiing
2
: a skiing race against time down a trail
finished second in the downhill

More from Merriam-Webster on downhill

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