downstream
Americanadverb
adjective
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of or relating to the latter part of a process or system.
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Genetics. with or in the direction of transcription, translation, or synthesis of a DNA, RNA, or protein molecule.
adverb
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in or towards the lower part of a stream; with the current
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(in the oil industry) of or for the refining, distribution, or marketing of oil or its derived products Compare upstream
Etymology
Origin of downstream
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.
That uncertainty has seen a shift from "downstream" companies that run apps and software to "upstream" firms such as chipmakers, many of which are based in Asia.
From Barron's
Cowork, released in research preview in January, lets users build AI agents that understand company context and can connect into a host of downstream enterprise apps like Slack, through Anthropic’s model context protocol.
"We expect pockets of oil may continue to get washed downstream for some time."
From BBC
That money came out of the pockets of American importers, and because importers pass costs downstream, it ultimately came out of the pockets of U.S. consumers.
From Salon
Fishing for the invasive blue catfish in the Potomac downstream of D.C. has skyrocketed in recent years, and there is concern about how the fishery will be affected.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.