How to spell downward

hear itdown·ward/'daʊnwərd/adverbSilent and tricky

What it means: Toward a lower place or level.

In a sentence: The leaves gently floated downward from the tree.

The part people get wrong

Often misspelled as downwards or downword.

Same family: down, downwards, upward, upwards, downhill. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Downward” comes from the Old English word “dūn” meaning “hill” plus the suffix “-ward,” which shows direction. Long ago it literally suggested movement from a hill, and it still keeps that basic idea of moving from a higher place to a lower one.

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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