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downdraft

American  
[doun-draft, -drahft] / ˈdaʊnˌdræft, -ˌdrɑft /

noun

  1. a downward current, as of air.

    a downdraft in a mine shaft.

  2. a downward movement, as of the stock market.


downdraft Scientific  
/ doundrăft′ /
  1. A downward moving current of air in a cumulonimbus cloud.

  2. Compare updraft


Etymology

Origin of downdraft

First recorded in 1780–90; down 1 + draft

Vocabulary lists containing downdraft

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

After a long, painful downdraft that erased more some $2.2 trillion in value, cryptocurrencies — and, notably, bitcoin — have come roaring back this week.

From MarketWatch Aug. 21, 2026

“We along with many others had this downdraft in commercial real-estate loans, and now it’s just starting to pick up. It’s good to see,” said John Stern, chief financial officer of U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 24, 2026

The 2024 crash was caused by "an encounter with turbulence due to downdraft winds that resulted in mast bumping and an inflight breakup", a report by the National Transportation Safety Board said.

From BBC Mar. 27, 2026

Apparently, two things bucking the current beer downdraft are nonalcoholic brews and turbocharged fruit punch.

From Barron's Nov. 7, 2025

The downdraft arrived, that eerie second before a big storm hits, just before the wind swoops through and brings in the hard rain.

From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles

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