downhill
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adv.moving toward the bottom of a hill or slope.
adv.in a direction toward the bottom of a slope or incline.
Simple“The bicycle picked up speed as it rolled downhill toward the park.”
In context“The water flowed downhill through a series of narrow channels before eventually collecting in the valley reservoir.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.getting worse or losing quality over time.
adv.metaphorically moving toward a state of decline, deterioration, or failure.
Simple“The business started to go downhill after the main shop closed.”
In context“The quality of the service went downhill rapidly once the original management team resigned from their positions.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.sloping or leading toward the bottom of a hill.
adj.sloping or leading in a downward direction.
Simple“The downhill path was much easier to walk than the steep climb up.”
In context“The downhill section of the racecourse is particularly treacherous during the winter months when ice forms on the asphalt.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a type of skiing race where people go down a mountain very fast.
n.a specific discipline in alpine skiing characterized by high speeds and a long course with few turns.
Simple“She won a gold medal in the downhill at the winter games.”
In context“The downhill is often considered the most dangerous event in alpine skiing due to the extreme speeds reached by the competitors.”
From down- + hill.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.