downside

[doun-sahyd]

noun

1. the lower side or part.

2. a downward trend, especially in stock prices.

3. a discouraging or negative aspect.

adjective

1. of or involving a decline, especially in stock prices.

   The downside risk on this stock is considered far greater than the potential for gain.

downside

/ ˈdaʊnˌsaɪd /

noun

1. the disadvantageous aspect of a situation

   the downside of twentieth-century living

Word History and Origins

Origin of downside¹

First recorded in 1675–85; down ¹ + side ¹

Example Sentences

The downside of this feature, Sutter said, is a signal is constantly being emitted from the key fob, similar to a debit card.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But it does have its downsides, such as being slower than the other protocols, and while highly customizable, its configuration can be more complex.

Read more on Salon

Both are too speculative, and neither seems to outweigh the potential downsides to investors of less frequent reporting.

Read more on Barron's

With the shares already reflecting the risk to the project, “I would argue limited downside,” Zimbardo says.

Read more on Barron's

The downside: Instant solutions reduce the incentive to wrestle with underlying concepts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• disadvantage 
• drawback 
• flaw 
• inconvenience