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
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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
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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of fell
Dennis Romero, NBC News, 22 Oct. 2024
Within a year of my arrival, much of that pristine forest had vanished, felled to make way for human settlements.
—Rebecca Shaw, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024
Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 29 Sep. 2024
In December 2023, Mr. López Obrador changed the way in which the country’s disappeared were counted, reducing the number by 90% in one fell swoop, from 110,964 to 12,377.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fell 
Verb
The Commanders fan is dropped with a punch as the other lunges at the Ravens fan, only to be thrown into a brick wall and ultimately felled.
—Dennis Romero, NBC News, 22 Oct. 2024
Within a year of my arrival, much of that pristine forest had vanished, felled to make way for human settlements.
—Rebecca Shaw, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
In one fell swoop, Israel seemed to remove not just the group’s leadership, but perhaps also all its contingency plans, further evidence of the profound scope of Israel’s infiltration of the group’s ranks.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 29 Sep. 2024
In December 2023, Mr. López Obrador changed the way in which the country’s disappeared were counted, reducing the number by 90% in one fell swoop, from 110,964 to 12,377.
—Whitney Eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell
Verb
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The historic bomb cyclone, which has already claimed two lives, downed trees, and triggered widespread power outages in the Pacific Northwest, now presents a complex challenge for travelers across the country.Jim Foerster, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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The outages, downed trees and high winds prompted at least one school district in Washington to cancel classes.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Ethan was mowing his new yard when Ro pushed her mower into hers.Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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Often picking up different kitchen jobs and even trying to mow grass for neighbors around the community.Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Finally, as is obvious to most observers, Israel cannot kill its way out of the threat posed by Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions.John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
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At least 100 people were killed, and about 20 more were still missing as of mid-October.Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The arachnids have become the lethal poisonous animal in Brazil and has increased the demand for antivenom.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
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Snares, set to capture other animals for bushmeat, pose a lethal risk to saolas, who often fall victim to these traps accidentally. Cheap and easy to deploy, snares blanket the forests, endangering not just the saola but a wide range of species.Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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 10-year Treasury yield climbed from 1.9% on Election Night 2016 to an eventual high of 3.2%, a big move that upset the bond market (because when rates rise, especially longer-duration rates, bonds drop).Brett Owens, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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Jin’s latest appearance on Fallon comes hot on the heels of the release of his debut solo album, Happy, which dropped on Nov. 15.Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Homes, roads and community spaces in the path of Helene have been destroyed.Patricia McIlreavy, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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There were no fatalities but two people were seriously injured with severe burns from a powerful explosion Tuesday night that destroyed several condominiums and heavily damaged others in Orion Township, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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However, the voyage takes a deadly turn when a dangerous political assassin aboard the ship, Richard Loffler (Kevin Durand), escapes custody and releases the animals to create chaos.Travis Bean, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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Boyd serves as the de facto leader of the community, tasked with maintaining order and protecting the townspeople from the deadly creatures lurking in the woods.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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