adj
Uncommon
downstream
down-STREEM
Downstream (adj) means Further along in the direction a river or fluid is flowing. Example: “The village sits a few miles downstream from the dam.”
adj
1
Further along in the direction a river or fluid is flowing.
"The village sits a few miles downstream from the dam."
"Debris floated downstream after the storm."
"The downstream towns were warned that the water level would rise overnight."
2
Happening later in a process, or affected by an earlier stage of it.
"Any error in the data entry causes problems downstream."
"The client receives data downstream from the server."
"Delays in the design stage have downstream effects for the builders and testers."
How to use downstream
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFurther along in the direction water (or a process) is flowing — the opposite of upstream.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
downstream effects
flow downstream
downstream from
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- downstreams
- Past tense
- downstreamed
- Comparative
- further downstream, farther downstream
- Superlative
- furthest downstream, farthest downstream
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Can you complete this real example?
The village sits a few miles _____ from the dam.
Etymology
From down- + stream, describing motion with the current.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for downstream
See all rhymes for downstream →Frequently asked questions
What does “downstream” mean?
The word “downstream” means further along in the direction a river or fluid is flowing. In plain terms, further along in the direction water (or a process) is flowing — the opposite of upstream.
How do you pronounce “downstream”?
“Downstream” is pronounced down-STREEM (/ˌdaʊnˈstɹiːm/ in IPA).
How do you use “downstream” in a sentence?
Here is “downstream” used in a sentence: “The village sits a few miles downstream from the dam.”
What is the opposite of “downstream”?
The opposite of “downstream” — its antonyms — is upstream.
What part of speech is “downstream”?
“Downstream” is an adjective.
Is “downstream” a common word?
“Downstream” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “downstream” have?
“Downstream” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: further along in the direction a river or fluid is flowing.
What is the difference between "downstream" and "upstream"?
"Downstream" describes something further along in the direction a river or fluid is flowing, or later in a process, while "upstream" describes the opposite direction, either earlier in a process or against the current. In business and technical contexts, "downstream" often refers to later stages affected by decisions made earlier, or "upstream."
How is "downstream" used outside of rivers, such as in business or technology?
In these contexts, "downstream" describes something happening later in a process, or affected by an earlier stage of it, such as "downstream effects" of a policy change or "downstream" stages of a supply chain. This figurative use is now extremely common in industries like software, oil and gas, and manufacturing.
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