as in downs
to strike (someone) so forcefully as to cause a fall
the exuberant dog bowled over several children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowls (down or over)
Verb
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Greene downs it, throws the kid his jersey, smiles, and all is right with the world.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026 -
But Sarah Graves gives a bit too much room and Penn downs a 3-pointeron the wing.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Vanderbilt missed its first three shots despite having good looks before Nickel knocks down a 3-pointer on an offensive rebound.—
American Statesman staff,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Feb. 2026
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Tamra Judge steps up to the line and, like Judge Dredd with hair extensions, knocks down two dozen or so targets in 27 seconds, seemingly without missing a shot.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Often, though, the band drops the hauteur to reveal a surprising kind of kookiness.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
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For the poor guy who drops a rod into one, this is bad news because if the flows are up, nothing falls straight down.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as much as the ratings monopoly has taken its share of knocks over the decades, it has never been supplanted as the anchor of the $70 billion-plus TV ad business.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Bowls (down or over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowls%20%28down%20or%20over%29. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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