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

The friendlier time zones of Paris proved to lift Comcast’s fortunes, setting the stage for a potentially bigger windfall when the Olympics come to home turf in Los Angeles in 2028. —Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 13 Mar. 2025

But the Holy Cross analysis found that the economic impact for host cities is, on average, small and may even be negative sometimes over long timespans, contradicting the financial windfall rhetoric. —Brian Roberts, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

Too good to be true offers: Be skeptical of messages promising large returns or unexpected windfalls. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025

This is the time of year when millions of Americans receive their biggest annual financial windfall. —Russ Wiles, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for windfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

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