B2adverb 3K

Downwards

UK /["/ˈdaʊnwədz/"]/ US /["/ˈdaʊnwərdz/"]/ Pronunciation

Definition

towards the ground; towards a lower place or position

Listen to definition

In simple words: Moving to a lower place or level.

Examples

• She was lying face downwards on the grass.
• The garden sloped gently downwards to the river.
• Nine per cent of commuters used public transport in 2018 and the trend is downwards.
• It was a policy welcomed by world leaders from the US president downwards.
• Official projections of the spread of AIDS have mercifully been revised downwards *(= it has been predicted that the disease will not spread as fast as had earlier been suggested)*.
• The economy is in a bad state and the stock market is spiraling downwards.

Usage notes

Commonly used in both written and spoken English. Often refers to physical movement or direction, but can also indicate a decrease in status or quality. Avoid in highly formal contexts.

Grammar pattern

standalone adverb

Memory hint

Imagine going down a slide — you move downwards to the ground.

Collocations

• look downwards
• move downwards
• trend downwards

Synonyms

• down
• downward
• beneath
• lower
• below

Antonyms

• upwards

Common mistakes

• Using 'downward' instead of 'downwards' in British English contexts.
• Confusing 'downwards' with 'downward' when referring to direction.
• Not using the word when describing a decrease in something like prices or temperatures.