downside

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdaʊnˌsaɪd/
• American English: DOWN-syd

Origin

Late 19th century: from "down" (adverb) + "side" (noun)

Meanings

1. (noun) The negative aspect or disadvantage of something.
2. (noun) The lower or bottom side of something.

Example Sentences

1. The downside of living in a big city is the high cost of rent.
2. While the job pays well, the downside is the long commute.
3. Every investment has its upsides and downsides.

Related Words

• Forms:
  • Noun: downside
• Synonyms:
  • disadvantage
  • drawback
  • snag
  • pitfall
  • catch

Memorizable Tricks

• Think of "down" as negative or lower, and "side" as an aspect. So "downside" is the negative aspect or lower part of something.
• Remember the phrase: "Every upside has its downside" to recall that it's the opposite of a positive aspect.