downside

/ˈdaʊnsaɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdaʊnsaɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdau̇n-ˌsīd/ (ame, mw)

downside — noun

  • downsidesingular
  • downsidesplural

1. the disadvantage, risk, or less attractive feature of a situation, action, or th

1.名詞B2
釋義

the disadvantage, risk, or less attractive feature of a situation, action, or thing that otherwise seems good

例句

The main downside of living in the city center is the high cost of rent.

collocation: main downside / downside of [something]

Before accepting the job offer in Seoul, Joshua carefully considered the potential downsides.

plural form: downsides / potential downside

同義詞
  • drawback

    more common than 'downside'; works in the same grammatical patterns; slightly more formal

  • disadvantage

    broader in meaning — can refer to any unfavorable circumstance, not only one tied to an otherwise positive situation

  • pitfall

    suggests a hidden or unexpected problem, often with a metaphorical sense of 'trap'; stronger negative connotation

反義詞
  • upside

    the direct opposite; refers to the positive aspect of a mixed situation

  • benefit

    emphasizes the advantage gained, not contrast with a negative side

文法句型

the downside of [something]

a downside to [something]

[quantity] downside is that…

用法筆記

Usually singular, though 'downsides' is possible when listing multiple negative aspects. Common in the patterns 'the downside of [something]' and 'a downside to [something]'. The word implies a contrast with an upside or benefit — the speaker assumes the situation has both good and bad sides.

常見錯誤

❌One downside to live in the city is noise.
✅One downside of living in the city is noise.
💡'downside' is followed by 'of + gerund' or 'to + noun/gerund', not 'to + infinitive'.
❌The downside of this laptop is that it is very fast.
✅The downside of this laptop is that it gets very hot after an hour of use.
💡'downside' must introduce a negative or problematic feature, not a positive one.