mow down: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal (often graphic), used in news reporting and narrative contexts.
Quick answer
What does “mow down” mean?
To kill or severely injure many people in a sudden, violent attack, often by shooting from a dominant position.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To kill or severely injure many people in a sudden, violent attack, often by shooting from a dominant position.
To cut down, destroy, or defeat indiscriminately, decisively, and with overwhelming force; can be used metaphorically in sports or competitions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both use the phrasal verb identically.
Connotations
Equally violent and graphic in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media due to higher incidence of reporting on mass shootings, but the term itself is equally established in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “mow down” in a Sentence
[Subject: agent] mowed down [Object: victims] (with [instrument])[Subject: agent] mowed [Object: victims] downVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mow down” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The mounted knights mowed down the peasant infantry.
- The gunman mowed down shoppers in the high street.
American English
- The machine gun nest mowed down the advancing troops.
- The star player mowed down the opposing team's defense.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; possible metaphorical use: 'The new market entrant mowed down the competition.'
Academic
Very rare, except in historical/military studies describing battles or atrocities.
Everyday
Used in news discussions or dramatic narratives about violence. Not for casual conversation.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mow down”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mow down”
- Using it for a single victim ('He mowed down one policeman'). It implies multiple victims.
- Using it in a non-violent context where 'cut down' would be more appropriate (e.g., 'mow down a tree').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it strongly implies multiple victims or targets. For a single person, use 'shot down', 'ran over', or similar.
Primarily, yes, but it has extended metaphorical use in sports ('mow down the opposition') or business ('mow down the competition') to mean defeat decisively.
'Massacre' is a noun or verb focusing on the cruel and indiscriminate killing. 'Mow down' is a phrasal verb focusing on the action and method—the swift, cutting-down motion—and can be used more broadly for non-lethal overwhelming defeat.
Yes. You can say 'He mowed the protesters down' or 'He mowed down the protesters'. Both are correct.
To kill or severely injure many people in a sudden, violent attack, often by shooting from a dominant position.
Mow down is usually informal (often graphic), used in news reporting and narrative contexts. in register.
Mow down: in British English it is pronounced /ˌməʊ ˈdaʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmoʊ ˈdaʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Mow them down like grass / wheat.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LAWNMOWER (to 'mow' grass) cutting down everything in its path without discrimination. 'Mow down' people implies the same mechanical, wholesale destruction.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE PLANTS / GRASS (to be cut down); KILLING IS HARVESTING.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'mow down' LEAST appropriate?