mow down

verb

mowed down; mowed down or mown down; mowing down; mows down

Synonyms of mow down

informal

: to kill or knock down (a person or many people) in a sudden and violent way

The soldiers were mowed down by machine guns.

The car mowed down four pedestrians.

Examples of mow down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But step onto land, especially in high season (June through September), and you’re almost immediately mowed down by tourists. — Mary Holland, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026 Before they’re introduced at the meeting, Lowen and Jeremy have what amounts to a gruesome meet-cute on the street, when a bike messenger gets mowed down by a car in front of them and Jeremy lends Lowen his shirt because she’s covered in blood. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 The Tigers had an exhibition against Southeastern College, and sure enough, Skubal mowed down those hapless young hitters. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Stems will be cut, plants mowed down, or maybe there's a bite or two out of each fruit before moving to the next. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mow down

Browse Nearby Words

mowdie

mow down

mower

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mow down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mow%20down. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

mow down

verb

Examples of mow down in a Sentence

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes

mow down

verb

Examples of mow down in a Sentence

Rhymes for mow down

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes