1
as in death
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
an insatiable love of money would be their downfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demise
a loss of status
an ill-advised speech that proved to be the cause of the candidate's downfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
we ducked under an overhang to shelter ourselves from the sudden downfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downfall
Many felt the loss of DeRosa and the addition of Milton Bradley led to the Cubs’ downfall in 2009.
—
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
What looks to have caused his downfall was a refusal by smaller racecourse owners — and in particular Arena Racing Company (ARC), whose 16 courses include Chepstow, Newcastle and Wolverhampton — to support the idea of an independent BHA board.
—Ian King, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The only downfall is the timing.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
The downfall is attributed to a cultural shift during World War I, legal trouble and other financial issues for Lubin, who eventually went bankrupt.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
What looks to have caused his downfall was a refusal by smaller racecourse owners — and in particular Arena Racing Company (ARC), whose 16 courses include Chepstow, Newcastle and Wolverhampton — to support the idea of an independent BHA board.
—Ian King, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The only downfall is the timing.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
The downfall is attributed to a cultural shift during World War I, legal trouble and other financial issues for Lubin, who eventually went bankrupt.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
MacEgan family speaks in court Before Abril was formally sentenced, the court allowed the MacEgan family to speak about the impact of these crimes and the family patriarch’s death.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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In Dallas-Fort Worth, there were 104,378 births and 53,559 deaths, which means 50,819 of the area’s new residents were a result of natural population change.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lifting them exposes the materials to rapid changes in pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels, which can accelerate deterioration or trigger instability.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The dramatic move offers the latest evidence of the deterioration in relations between Lebanon and Iran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s administration has said the economic pressure Cuba is under will bring about the communist government’s demise.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Even after someone's demise, debt collectors can try to collect a payment from a decedent’s estate or, in some cases, from someone who received money from the estate.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
More light rain is expected during the afternoon as temperatures plunge.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Heavy rain can supercharge invasive grasses, crowding out the blooms.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Officials haven't been able to assess the destruction fully but the cost of the storm could top $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, people's homes and a Maui hospital in Kula, Green said.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Crews continued to assess the destruction Monday, but authorities said hundreds of homes had been damaged, along with some schools and a hospital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The delta is a microcosm of humanity’s problems, with its rising population, increasing agriculture, environmental degradation, and climate change.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The consequences of this project — ranging from water depletion and traffic congestion to permanent environmental degradation — will be borne by those in the immediate vicinity, yet the current system ignores this reality.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Simmons would ideally play within the tackle box on early downs in the package.—
Mike Kaye
March 23,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Mar. 2026
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The vote does not confirm Mullin to the post but begins a mandatory debate period of up to 30 hours before the Senate can hold a final up-or-down vote.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The National Weather Service confirmed on Tuesday that 12 tornadoes were produced across Illinois and northern Indiana during a series of severe storms earlier this month.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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One unforeseen storm might send users looking for an alternative.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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