downhill

Formsfurther downhill, farther downhill, furthest downhill, farthest downhill

Formsfurther downhill, farther downhill, furthest downhill, farthest downhill

Pluraldownhills

Formsdownhills, downhilling, downhilled

1. 1
   adverb

   In a direction leading down a slope, toward lower ground.

   Rainwater flows downhill and collects in the lowest part of the yard.

   The cyclists coasted downhill for nearly two miles.

   Similardownslope

   Oppositeuphill, upslope

   Note

   The literal, spatial sense the rest of the word grows from, built plainly from down- and hill. It compares like a phrase rather than a single word: you go further downhill or farther downhill, and the bottom is the furthest downhill point. The adjective compares the same way. Downslope is a close synonym for the same direction of travel.

2. 2
   adjective

   Sloping toward lower ground, or moving down a hill or slope.

   The downhill stretch of the trail let the runners recover before the final climb.

   Brakes wear faster on long downhill drives through the mountains.

   Similardescending, downward, downslope

   Oppositeuphill, ascending, upward

3. 3
   adverb

   Toward a worse state or condition, as when something declines in quality or keeps getting worse.

   The conversation went downhill the moment politics came up.

   Critics agree the show's quality slid downhill after its third season.

   Note

   A figurative step from the literal 'down a slope' sense: things that decline are pictured as rolling to lower ground. Its usual partner is go, so a relationship, a show or a business goes downhill, and it needs no object. Beware all downhill from here. It can predict decline, or, with the 'easy' meaning, promise that the hard part is over. Only context decides which.

4. 4
   adjective

   Positioned lower down a slope or hill, at or near its bottom.

   Water pooled along the downhill edge of the field.

   The downhill neighbors complained that runoff from the new driveway reached their yard.

   Similardownslope, lower

   Oppositeuphill, upslope, upper

   Note

   A word of position, not motion: the downhill end of a glacier, the downhill edge of a field, the downhill neighbors. It usually sits before a noun and names the lower side of something on a slope. Compare the 'going down' adjective, which describes a route you travel along, such as a downhill course, rather than where something lies.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A fast run down a hill in a sport that involves racing down slopes, especially alpine skiing.

   The Austrian skier posted the fastest downhill of the afternoon.

   Mountain bikers can compare times from their downhills using the trail app.

   Similarrun, descent

   Oppositeascent, climb

6. 6
   noununcountable

   An alpine skiing discipline in which racers reach higher speeds than in any other discipline.

   Downhill demands more raw speed than slalom or giant slalom.

   She switched from slalom to downhill midway through her career.

   Note

   Alpine skiing uses this noun in two ways, and countability tells them apart. Uncountable, it names the discipline itself, set beside slalom and giant slalom: she switched to downhill. Counted, it becomes a single fast run, which can also belong to mountain biking and other hill sports: the fastest downhill of the afternoon. A bare noun means the sport, while an article or a plural means one descent.

7. 7
   adjective

   Easy; involving little difficulty or effort.

   After the merger paperwork cleared, the rest of the transition was downhill.

   Veterans of the training program say everything after the first month is downhill.

   Similareasy, smooth, effortless, straightforward

   Oppositeuphill, difficult, hard, arduous

   Note

   Here the slope is a relief rather than a decline: once the climb is behind you, the rest is coasting. It usually comes after a stated hard part and is often stretched to downhill all the way. That framing tells you the earlier stage was difficult, and it is the clue that separates this use from the 'getting worse' meaning, which can share the same wording.

8. 8
   verbintransitive

   To ski down a hill or slope for sport.

   Most resort guests downhill in the morning and snowboard after lunch.

   They downhilled until the lifts closed, then warmed up in the lodge.

   Similarski

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