downhill

American  

[doun-hil, doun-hil] / ˈdaʊnˈhɪl, ˈdaʊnˌhɪl /

adverb

1. down the slope of a hill; downward.

2. into a worse or inferior condition.

   The business has been going downhill.

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adjective

1. going or tending downward on or as on a hill.

2. free of problems or obstacles; easy.

   After the initial setbacks on the project, it was downhill all the way.

3. of or relating to skiing downhill.

noun

1. a timed ski race on a steep slope in which competitors take the most direct route to the finish line following a course with relatively few turns and attaining very high speeds.

downhill British  

/ ˈdaʊnˈhɪl /

adjective

1. going or sloping down

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adverb

1. towards the bottom of a hill; downwards

2. informal to decline; deteriorate

noun

1. the downward slope of a hill; descent

2. a competitive event in which skiers are timed in a downhill run

Etymology

Origin of downhill

First recorded in 1585–95; down ¹ + hill

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

downhill

Once it reaches the surface, the liquid nitrogen could remain in liquid form long enough to travel downhill across the glacier.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

On the last day, we rode downhill to the Mississippi, where waves of happy cyclists performed one last ritual, dipping their wheels in the river.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

That mass of rock and ice plunged about 800 metres onto a debris-covered glacier, before surging downhill, briefly damming the Lhende River.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Its chairlift, once mainly for skiers, now carries mountain bikes to the top of a downhill track.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

About fifteen feet away downhill was the fence to the neighbor’s house.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Related Words

• falling