windfall

noun

wind·​fall ˈwin(d)-ˌfȯl 

1

: something (such as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind

2

: an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage

Synonyms

• benediction
• benefit
• blessing
• boon
• felicity
• godsend
• good
• manna

Examples of windfall in a Sentence

They received a windfall because of the tax cuts.

hitting the lottery jackpot was an incredible windfall for the recently laid-off worker

Recent Examples on the Web

Politics San Diego’s ambulance takeover is improving response times — but a possible financial windfall is still unclear Nov. 17, 2023 The consultant projected $6.5 million during the ongoing fiscal year that ends in June, another $3 million in fiscal year 2025 and $5.5 million in fiscal 2026. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024

That’s a haircut from the price of a reported Bytedance share buyback a few months ago, but still a heaping valuation that will likely be a windfall to many LPs. —Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 9 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

windfall

noun

wind·​fall -ˌfȯl 

1

: something (as a tree or fruit) blown down by the wind

2

: an unexpected gift, gain, or help