downstream
adverb or adjective
down·stream
ˈdau̇n-ˈstrēm 
1
: in the direction of or nearer to the mouth of a stream
floating downstream
located two miles downstream
2
: in or toward the latter stages of a usually industrial process or the stages (such as marketing) after manufacture
improving profits downstream
downstream products
3
biochemistry
: toward the end of a series of cellular processes : following a linked molecular event occurring in a sequence
But by looking downstream of the tumor suppressors [genes] at the proteins they influence, drug developers hope to find good targets.—
Marcia Barinaga
Marcia BarinagaExamples of downstream in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 8 July 2025
Four months’ worth of rain fell in just hours and the nearby Guadalupe River rose over 20 feet, sweeping homes, cars, campers and cabins downstream.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
Areas east along the Guadalupe River were preparing for their own flooding as the rapid waters rushed downstream from Hunt and Kerrville.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 4 July 2025
During a recent stroll down the creek, a reporter identified fecal matter that would eventually drift downstream, in the direction of Zamora’s home and the river.
—Sofi Zeman
july 3, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for downstream
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Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 8 July 2025
Four months’ worth of rain fell in just hours and the nearby Guadalupe River rose over 20 feet, sweeping homes, cars, campers and cabins downstream.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
Areas east along the Guadalupe River were preparing for their own flooding as the rapid waters rushed downstream from Hunt and Kerrville.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 4 July 2025
During a recent stroll down the creek, a reporter identified fecal matter that would eventually drift downstream, in the direction of Zamora’s home and the river.
—Sofi Zeman
july 3, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for downstream
Cite this Entry
“Downstream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downstream. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
downstream
adverb or adjective
down·stream
ˈdau̇n-ˈstrēm
: in the direction a stream is flowing
Medical Definition
downstream
adverb or adjective
down·stream
ˌdau̇n-ˈstrēm
1
: in the same direction along a molecule of DNA or RNA as that in which transcription and translation take place and toward the end having a hydroxyl group attached to the position labeled 3′ in the terminal nucleotide
a nucleotide sequence located downstream from the regulatory gene
effects on the expression of downstream genes
compare upstream sense 1
2
: toward the end of a series of cellular processes : following a linked molecular event occurring in a sequence
But by looking downstream of the tumor suppressors [genes] at the proteins they influence, drug developers hope to find good targets.—Marcia Barinaga, Science
Marcia Barinaga, ScienceThe tyrosine kinase activity of phosphorylated EGFR [epidermal growth factor receptor] in cancer cells results in the phosphorylation of downstream proteins that incite cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and inhibition of apoptosis.—Jonathan E. Dowell and John D. Minna, The New England Journal of Medicine
Jonathan E. Dowell and John D. Minna, The New England Journal of MedicineLove words? Need even more definitions?
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