noun

downside

/ˈdaʊnˌsaɪd/ · say it: DOWN·syde

the potential for loss

In From the Business Pages

In more detail

1. (noun) a negative aspect or disadvantage of something

2. (noun) the lower side or bottom part of something

Examples

1. The downside of working from home is that it's hard to separate work and personal life.
2. The downside of the coin showed a portrait.

How to use downside

Downside is commonly used to discuss disadvantages or negative consequences of a decision, situation, or proposal, often in balanced evaluations. It is more conversational than formal alternatives like 'disadvantage' and frequently appears in phrases like 'the downside is' or 'on the downside.' The literal sense (lower part) is less common in modern usage.

Common phrases

the downside is
on the downside
a major downside
the downside to
see the downside

Synonyms

disadvantage · drawback · negative aspect · inconvenience · pitfall

Opposites

upside · advantage · benefit

Word family

downside (n.) · downsides (pl. n.)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse downside (a disadvantage) with the literal direction down; downside is almost always used figuratively to mean a negative aspect rather than referring to physical location.

Learn it for good

Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.

Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD