downward

downward — adjective

1. describing movement or direction that goes from a higher place or level to a low

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describing movement or direction that goes from a higher place or level to a lower one — for example, a downward slope, a downward trend in prices, or a downward pull on an object.

Example

The plane began its slow downward descent toward the runway.

collocation: downward descent / downward trend

Store sales have been on a downward trend for three months.

collocation: on a downward trend

Common collocations
  • downward trend
  • downward spiral
  • downward slope
  • downward path
  • downward direction
  • downward movement
  • downward pressure
  • downward force
  • downward pull
  • downward revision
Synonyms
  • descending

    more formal; often suggests a gradual or controlled movement (a descending aircraft)

  • falling

    implies faster or uncontrolled movement (falling leaves, falling prices)

  • declining

    almost always metaphorical, describing a reduction in quantity, quality, or value (declining sales)

Antonyms
  • upward

    movement toward a higher position or level

Grammar Patterns

downward + noun

Usage Note

Frequently placed directly before a noun. The physical sense (a downward slope) is most common, but the word also appears in metaphorical contexts describing decline (a downward spiral, a downward trend). Do not confuse with the adverb 'downward(s)', which modifies verbs instead of nouns.

Common Mistakes

The bird flew in a downwards direction.
The bird flew in a downward direction.
'downwards' is an adverb, not an adjective; the adjective form has no '-s'.
We saw a downward movement of the stock price.
We saw a downward move in the stock price.
'downward movement' is acceptable but slightly wordy; 'downward move' or 'downward trend' is more natural.

downward — adverb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four adjectives describe movement toward a lower position or level, but they differ in register, speed, and typical context. 'Downward' is the most neutral and factual; it simply describes direction without implying how fast or why ('a downward slope', 'downward pressure'). 'Descending' is more formal and often suggests a controlled, gradual process ('the descending aircraft', 'descending notes of a scale'). 'Falling' implies faster, uncontrolled, or gravity-driven movement ('falling leaves', 'falling prices') and carries a more dramatic tone. 'Declining' is used almost entirely in metaphorical or statistical contexts ('declining enrollment', 'declining health') and focuses on reduction over time. Compare: 'The plane was in a downward descent' (neutral fact), 'The plane was descending' (controlled action), 'The plane was falling' (emergency).

downward ↗descendingfalling ↗declining

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • steadily downward
  • sharply downward
  • slowly downward
  • gently downward
  • steeply downward

Phrases

  • on a downward trend
  • in a downward spiral
  • downward pressure on prices

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed from the adverb 'down' (from Old English 'dūn', meaning 'from a higher to a lower position') plus the suffix '-ward' (from Old English '-weard', meaning 'in the direction of'). The word has been used in English since the Old English period as 'dūnweard', originally as an adverb. The adjective use developed later in Middle English.