downward vs downwards

Both 'downward' and 'downwards' are correct, but 'downward' is more commonly used in American English, while 'downwards' is more common in British English. The choice between the two depends on the regional variant of English being used.

Last updated: March 26, 2024 • 1256 views

This is a correct term commonly used in American English.

"downward"

The term 'downward' is used to describe movement or position in a downward direction.

Examples:

The ball rolled downward.
She looked downward to avoid eye contact.

Show examples from the web [+]

I noted a slight downward trajectory.
No sense of a downward trajectory.
This would bring the debt back on a downward path.
- No sense of a downward trajectory.
Except the wife had diagonal cuts downward and the husband's were horizontal.
And the point of the triangle then continued downward, transecting the carotid.
You should move your hands downward.
Negative values denote downward inclination (see Figure).
Dipped-beam downward inclination of a category M1 vehicle
Yet when eating, you kept the fish downward.
It was a single downward blow that crushed the front of his skull.
The wood taken from Sergeant Wooten's palm was snapped at a downward angle.
These figures represent substantial downward revisions relative to the previous ECB staff projections for 2008 and 2009 published in September.
The downward adjustment for 2005 reflects mainly a carry-over effect from the weaker than expected fourth quarter of 2004.
The multidirectional fractures on the skull are consistent with a tire's downward vertical force.
These downward adjustments do not affect projects in connection with regions bordering on the candidate countries.
This will therefore lead to a downward alignment of consumer policy throughout the European Union.
The value of this indicated downward inclination shall be defined in accordance with paragraph 6.3.6.1.2.2.
For measuring purposes, downward facing flanges shall be ignored.

Alternatives:

descending
falling
sinking
dropping
lowering

This is a correct term commonly used in British English.

"downwards"

The term 'downwards' is used to describe movement or position in a downward direction.

Examples:

The water flowed downwards.
He pointed downwards to indicate the direction.

Show examples from the web [+]

Growth forecasts are increasingly revised downwards.
Oysters must be wrapped with the concave shell downwards.
Everyone is on redundancy review, from Mr Fraser downwards.
When you have finished the exam, close the booklet, turn it face downwards and raise your hands.
Wages must be adjusted downwards to make goods competitive with those of the emergent economies.
The volumes reported in the provisional Regulation were already corrected downwards, based on information provided by national customs authorities.
Growth and investment forecasts are being revised downwards everywhere.
Further away, over here, spatter is traveling downwards.
In use, the cowl shall point downwards.
Nicky would have to raise his arm And fire downwards.
I think that we have detected a certain convergence downwards.
Economic growth is declining and the Commission is already warning of a further readjustment downwards.
This requires some physical strength, but will pay off doubly when your lady spins downwards.
I would be very much in favour of revising this limit downwards.
With regard to agriculture, the Council proposes an adjustment downwards of EUR 288 million.
Environmental requirements within the EU must not be harmonised downwards, but upwards.
Economic forecasting has so often had to be revised downwards.
People are lured by meticulous micromanagement and nobody ventures to delegate decision-making downwards.
Thus the utilisation rates of GSP may be biased downwards.
Accordingly, the export price for its stoneware products should have been adjusted downwards rather than upwards.

Alternatives:

descending
falling
sinking
dropping
lowering

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downward vs downwards

"downward"

"downwards"

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