1
as in to down
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
a champion boxer who was shockingly felled in the first round
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to mow
to bring down by cutting
the settlers began the daunting task of felling the mighty trees that blanketed the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to kill
to deprive of life
the quest for a cure for malaria, the disease that felled so many during the digging of the Panama Canal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
planning for the distribution of resources in case of some fell event
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a once-mighty nation conquered by a fell and barbarous enemy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024
Remarkably, most of the original beams of the cathedral dated from before 1226, with the oldest from a tree felled in 1156.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024
Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024
Some see an opportunity to take care of all dimensions of the threat—both Tehran’s nuclear capabilities and its malign regional activities—in one fell swoop.
—Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fell 
Verb
On to the nominees: Jalen Arnold, Moreau Catholic football: Arnold caught three passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a score as Moreau felled Ferndale 21-19 to win the NCS Division VII championship.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024
Remarkably, most of the original beams of the cathedral dated from before 1226, with the oldest from a tree felled in 1156.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
New Yorkers will tell you to head to the waterfront in Brooklyn or Queens to see the city’s architectural greats in one fell camera shot.
—Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024
Some see an opportunity to take care of all dimensions of the threat—both Tehran’s nuclear capabilities and its malign regional activities—in one fell swoop.
—Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
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The Irish entered the Playoff as the No. 7 seed and handled No. 10 Indiana in comfortable fashion before downing No. 2 Georgia (23-10) and defeating No. 6 Penn State (27-24) via a last-minute interception and field goal.—
Lauren Merola,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
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In another fatal accident on Christmas Day, an Azerbaijan Air flight was reportedly downed by Russian air defense systems over Kazakhstan.—
Barbara Peterson,
AFAR Media,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Atwater and his son were the last caretakers of the lot, mowing the grass and making sure the property taxes were paid.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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Duffie said the commission wants to encourage residents within Porter to develop their own gardens, which would mean less grass to mow and the lower use of fertilizers and pesticides.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Only after her fiancé was killed, Hart said, did her employer install a lock and door handle.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacramento Bee,
24 Jan. 2025
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But some believe the same elements behind the older Kennedy’s assassination also killed the former senator.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Burden is a lethal weapon who plays with slick separation skills, elusiveness, and creativity when the ball is in his hands.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2025
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His lethal sneaks have Philadelphia’s fourth-down conversion rate atop the league at nearly 70%.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
Verb
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The storms could drop 1 to 4 inches of rains, the NWS said.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Jan. 2025
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By 1870, Westport’s population had dropped to 1,500.—
Dan Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The video was released Sunday by a law firm representing a woman whose house was destroyed by the fire and is suing Southern California Edison, the primary electrical utility for Los Angeles.—
Michelle Watson,
CNN,
27 Jan. 2025
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By the time the show opened on Friday, the Eaton Fire, which is now 95 percent contained, had burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, Pasadena, and other areas nearby.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The group is tied to daily attacks across Asia and Africa, as well as plots throughout Europe and even a deadly New Year's rampage in the United States.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
19 Jan. 2025
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Those feats, economists say, are even more impressive considering the nation was deep in the throes of a deadly, economy-scarring pandemic when Biden took office.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near fell
Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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