Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Sloping down rather steeply: Describes a surface or path that descends at a significant angle.
   • Easy or effortless after initial difficulty: (Figurative) Describes a task or situation that becomes easier after the hardest part is over.

2. Adverb:

   • Toward the bottom of a hill or a lower place: Indicates movement in a descending direction.
   • Toward a lower or inferior state: (Figurative) Indicates a decline in quality, condition, or fortune.

3. Noun:

   • The downward slope of a hill: The descending part of a hill or mountain.
   • A ski race down a prepared trail: A competitive skiing event held on a downhill course.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The downhill path was much easier for the cyclists. (The descending path was less strenuous.)
  • Once we finish this project, the rest of the work will be all downhill. (The remaining work will be easy.)

• Adverb:

  • He coasted downhill on his bicycle. (He rode his bike down the slope.)
  • After the injury, his career went steadily downhill. (His career declined continuously.)

• Noun:

  • We climbed up but enjoyed the walk on the downhill. (We enjoyed the descending part of the walk.)
  • She won a gold medal in the downhill. (She won a gold medal in the downhill skiing race.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be all downhill from here": (Idiomatic) To indicate that the most difficult part is finished and things will be easier from this point forward.

  • The exams are over, so it's all downhill from here until graduation. (The remaining time until graduation will be easy.)

• "to go downhill": (Idiomatic) To deteriorate or decline in quality, health, or condition.

  • This neighborhood has really gone downhill in the last few years. (The quality of the neighborhood has declined.)

Variants and Related Words

• Downhiller (n): A skier who competes in downhill races.
  • He is a champion downhiller.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Descending, declining, falling.
• Adverb: Downward, descending.
• Noun: Descent, decline, slope.

Related Phrases

• Downhill race: Specifically refers to the alpine skiing event.
  • The downhill race was postponed due to fog.

Related Idioms

• "Over the hill and down the other side": Past the peak or most challenging point and into an easier phase.
  • We've completed the hardest module; we're over the hill and down the other side now.

Adjective

1. sloping down rather steeply

Adverb

1. toward the bottom of a hill
   • running downhill, he gained a lot of speed
2. toward a lower or inferior state
   • your performance has been going downhill for a long time now

Noun

1. a ski race down a trail
2. the downward slope of a hill