Something that is moving downstream is moving towards the mouth of a river, from a point further up the river. Something that is downstream is further towards the mouth of a river than where you are.
We had drifted downstream.
...a district called Lupitu, which in fact was downstream of the dam.
Communities downstream have been alerted.
[Also + of/from]
Downstream is also an adjective.
Breaking the dam could submerge downstream cities such as Wuhan.
downstream in British English
(ˈdaʊnˈstriːm)
adverb, adjective
1.
in or towards the lower part of a stream; with the current
2.
(in the oil industry) of or for the refining, distribution, or marketing of oil or its derived products
Compare upstream (sense 2)
downstream in American English
(ˈdaʊnˌstrim)
adverb, adjective
1.
in the direction of the current of a stream
2.
at or toward the end of some process, course of activity, etc.
downstream in the Oil and Gas Industry1
(daʊnstrim)
adjective
(Extractive engineering: General, Operations)
Downstream describes equipment, facilities, or systems used after crude oil has been produced.
COLLOCATIONS: ~ operation~ processing~ facility
Operations taking place after crude oil is produced, such as transportation, refining,and marketing can be described as downstream.
The downstream oil sector covers refining, trade, distribution, and sale of oil petroleum products.
Downstream describes equipment, facilities, or systems used after crude oil has been produced.
Related wordsCompare downstream with upstream, which describes activities that take place before oil production, for example explorationor research.
downstream in the Oil and Gas Industry2
(daʊnstrim)
adverb
(Extractive engineering: General, Operations)
If something happens downstream, it takes place during the refining or processing of crude oil into finished fuel products.
The crude oil was not sold at the wellhead, but was transported downstream, refined, and moved by pipeline to the point of sale.
The function of this plant is to remove gas and water from the crude oil, and pumpthis "cleaned" crude oil to other plants downstream.
If something happens downstream, it takes place during the refining or processing of crude oil into finished fuelproducts.
Examples of 'downstream' in a sentence
downstream
If they had not picked her up in that boat she would have been floating away downstream.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Consort herself was forced to seek safety further downstream.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Jump into our rivers and swim downstream?
The Sun (2015)
We should be building tidal barriers and dams and reservoirs to control the flow of rivers through downstream urban areas.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
This takes no account of any value at all for the downstream business of refining and selling the stuff on the forecourt.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I float downstream, carried by the current.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Income at the downstream business rose from $1.6 billion to $2.6 billion.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Further downstream in the health care process, many visits to A&E could also be avoided.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There is some hope for Britain's downstream oil industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A spokesman said: 'Our findings strongly suggest contamination of the river downstream from a military camp triggered the epidemic.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
downstream
British English: downstream ADVERB
Something that is moving downstream is moving towards the mouth of a river, from a point further up the river. Something that is downstream is further towards the mouth of a river than where you are.