downsides

noun

plural of downside
as in disadvantages
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success the downside of living in the country is, of course, the long commute to work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downsides The downsides of fireworks—trash, smoke, wildfire, dog trauma—are something that the average spectator pushes out of mind. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Though this might seem like a great way to proceed, numerous downsides exist. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 In the same polling that found Hong building a lead, 88% of Democrats said that the downsides of data centers outweigh the benefits. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 31 July 2026 However, there may also be some downsides to your morning cup of joe. — Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 31 July 2026 While Lee’s travels have provided her with experiences that some people will never get, traveling the world full-time does come with its downsides. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 While resembling a famous parent probably comes with some downsides, there’s no arguing that the kids on this list won the genetic lottery. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026 Trips of two to four weeks can run on typical trail food, though the downsides tend to show up near the end. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026 For mid-range treks of two to four weeks, typical trail food works, though the downsides show up toward the end. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downsides
disadvantages
Noun
  • As a destination, Titan does have some disadvantages, however.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
  • As De Puy shares, being a drag queen came with its advantages and disadvantages when secluded with over a dozen strangers on a TV set.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Definition of disadvantages

Browse Nearby Words

downside
downsides
downsize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downsides.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downsides. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on downsides

Nglish: Translation of downsides for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All