downstream
/ˌdaʊnˈstriːm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdaʊnˈstriːm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdau̇n-ˈstrēm/ (ame, mw)
downstream — adjective
- downstreampositive
- more downstreamcomparative
- most downstreamsuperlative
1. located or moving in the same direction that the water of a river or stream flow
located or moving in the same direction that the water of a river or stream flows — for example, a house built on the downstream side of a bridge, where the current pushes water past it.
The Watanabe family built their home on the downstream side near the fishing area.
position: downstream + side / bank / village
Dr. Okafor noticed the downstream bank covered with smooth stones washed down by the current.
Farmers in downstream villages worried that chemicals from the paper mill were affecting their crops.
The heavy rain caused flooding in every downstream village along the river valley.
A fishing net stretched across the stream caught leaves and branches on its downstream side.
- upstream
opposite direction, against the current — toward the source of the river
文法句型
downstream + noun (downstream village / downstream bank)
用法筆記
Often used with 'from' to indicate position relative to a landmark (e.g., 'downstream from the dam'). The opposite direction is 'upstream'.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a stage that comes after a particular point in a chain of actions, o
relating to a stage that comes after a particular point in a chain of actions, operations, or decisions — for example, the packaging and delivery tasks that follow the manufacturing stage of a product.
The logistics team handles all downstream tasks once the products leave the factory.
collocation: downstream tasks
A small mistake in the design phase can cause major downstream problems during assembly.
downstream problems / effects / delays
Ananya studied how supply chain decisions affect downstream departments like customer service.
The company reorganized its downstream operations to speed up delivery to shops.
Managers must consider the downstream impact of every policy change on their teams.
- subsequent
more formal and broader — can refer to any later event, not just in a process chain
- later
simpler and more common in everyday speech; less precise for business processes
文法句型
downstream + noun (downstream effects / downstream tasks / downstream process)
用法筆記
Common in business and project-management writing. Frequently appears with nouns such as 'effects', 'impact', 'process', 'tasks', and 'operations'. The opposite in this sense is 'upstream' (earlier stages).
常見錯誤
3. in the petroleum industry, describing the stages after crude oil or natural gas
in the petroleum industry, describing the stages after crude oil or natural gas has been extracted — including refining, transporting fuel, and selling petrol or other products to customers.
Oil refineries are the most important downstream facilities in the fuel supply chain.
downstream facilities / refineries
The energy firm invested heavily in downstream operations such as fuel transport and petrol stations.
downstream operations
Petrochemical plants turn crude oil into plastics and chemicals at the downstream stage of production.
Elena took a job in a downstream division selling lubricants to car repair shops.
New environmental rules now cover downstream natural gas distribution as well as drilling.
- upstream
exploration and extraction of oil or gas from the ground
文法句型
downstream + noun (downstream facilities / downstream operations / downstream division)
用法筆記
A specialised term used mainly in the petroleum and energy industries. Contrasts with 'upstream' (exploration and extraction) and sometimes 'midstream' (storage and transport of crude).
常見錯誤
4. located further along a molecule of DNA or RNA, in the direction away from the s
located further along a molecule of DNA or RNA, in the direction away from the starting point where a gene is read and copied by the cell.
Scientists found the mutation in a downstream region of the DNA strand.
downstream region / DNA strand
Researchers identified a downstream gene that only becomes active when the first protein is present.
downstream gene
The laboratory mapped the downstream sequence of the chromosome to understand the mutation better.
A defect in the downstream portion of the genetic code stopped the protein from forming.
The team compared the upstream and downstream DNA sections to study how the virus changes.
- upstream
the region of DNA closer to the start of a gene
文法句型
downstream + noun (downstream region / downstream gene / downstream sequence)
用法筆記
Highly technical term used in molecular biology research papers and textbooks. The opposite direction is 'upstream', which is closer to the start of the gene.
常見錯誤
downstream — adverb
1. further along in the direction that water in a river or stream is flowing; also
further along in the direction that water in a river or stream is flowing; also used figuratively to mean later in a chain of events or business processes.
Theo paddled downstream towards the lake, letting the current do most of the work.
paddle / float / drift + downstream
When a senior manager makes a bad decision, the problems ripple downstream to every team.
figurative: ripple downstream to
The kayak drifted downstream past the tall pine trees lining the riverbank.
Changes to tax laws pass downstream to local governments that must enforce the new rules.
Plastic waste from the city travels downstream and eventually reaches the ocean.
- with the current
more descriptive but only works for literal water contexts
- further along
broader meaning; can be used in both literal and figurative contexts without the river metaphor
- upstream
against the current, or toward earlier stages
- against the current
more descriptive phrasing for literal contexts
文法句型
verb + downstream (float downstream / move downstream / pass downstream)
用法筆記
Unlike the adjective form, the adverb modifies verbs of motion ('float downstream', 'drift downstream') and verbs of transfer in figurative contexts ('pass downstream', 'ripple downstream'). The literal and figurative readings are distinguished entirely by context.