Downhill

Part of speech: adverb, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈdaʊnˌhɪl/

Definitions

1. Moving or sloping toward a lower level or position, or becoming progressively worse or easier
2. A direction leading to a lower altitude signifies descent, while metaphorically it denotes a decline in quality or condition, and can also imply an easing of difficulty or complexity in a situation
3. Inclining toward a lesser elevation indicates descent, while figuratively it represents deteriorating circumstances or the simplification of a task or challenge

Etymology: "Downhill" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is simply "down" joined to "hill," with the sense of moving down a slope fused into a single unit. The adjective and adverb uses both grow directly from that physical picture, so a downhill road is one that slopes away, and a thing that goes downhill is sliding toward a lower level. The figurative senses follow the same logic. Anything that falls away from a summit, whether a person's fortunes, a business, or a plan, can be pictured as rolling down a slope, which is why "things are going downhill" means circumstances are getting worse. The opposite picture, a task made easy, works the same way: the hard climb is over and the rest is "all downhill."

Synonyms: declining, sloping, descending

Antonyms: uphill, ascending