downhill

American  

[doun-hil, doun-hil] / ˈdaʊnˈhɪl, ˈdaʊnˌhɪl /

adverb

1. down the slope of a hill; downward.

2. into a worse or inferior condition.

   The business has been going downhill.

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adjective

1. going or tending downward on or as on a hill.

2. free of problems or obstacles; easy.

   After the initial setbacks on the project, it was downhill all the way.

3. of or relating to skiing downhill.

noun

1. a timed ski race on a steep slope in which competitors take the most direct route to the finish line following a course with relatively few turns and attaining very high speeds.

downhill British  

/ ˈdaʊnˈhɪl /

adjective

1. going or sloping down

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adverb

1. towards the bottom of a hill; downwards

2. informal to decline; deteriorate

noun

1. the downward slope of a hill; descent

2. a competitive event in which skiers are timed in a downhill run

Etymology

Origin of downhill

First recorded in 1585–95; down ¹ + hill

Example Sentences

Among the choicest: The champion skier from Norway starts his day with a breakfast that his father finds revolting, and he’s “too afraid” of downhill cycling to consider switching sports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Three years later, he aced No. 7 at Pebble Beach, the cliff-side hole that at 106 yards manages to be both stunning and treacherous because it’s so steeply downhill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

For Bondi, it was all downhill from there.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

She decided to compete at the Olympics anyway and had a couple of successful training runs leading up to the Feb. 8 downhill competition.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Guilt rises in me hard and fast and I feel my head bobbing up and down reflexively, trying to diffuse a situation that’s going downhill fast.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• falling