downfall

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noun down·fall \ ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl \

Definition of downfall

1 a :a sudden fall (as from power)

b :a fall (as of snow or rain) especially when sudden or heavy

2 :something that causes a downfall (as of a person)

gambling was his downfall

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downfallen

play \-ˌfȯ-lən\ adjective

See downfall defined for English-language learners

See downfall defined for kids

Examples of downfall in a Sentence

Their downfall was the result of several bad decisions.
Bad decision-making was their downfall.

Recent Examples of downfall from the Web

I didn’t used to be able to do that, and that was my biggest downfall.

— tod palmer, kansascity, "After earning more trust in offseason, Mizzou opens up playbook for Drew Lock," 26 Aug. 2017
But the forces that led to his downfall had been slowly percolating for decades.

— jeff maysh, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Cop Who Became a Robber," 22 Aug. 2017
Hart describes the difficulty of finding good role models in sports for her boys, citing the downfall of Tiger Woods.

— elizabeth lowder, AL.com, "Becoming an Alabama fan: Melissa Joan Hart explains it all," 22 Aug. 2017
That was ultimately his downfall, leading to an emotional farewell.

— laura bradley, vanityfair.com, "Don’t Kid Yourself: Bryan Is the Winner Bachelor Nation Deserves," 8 Aug. 2017
The Mooch is set to host an online event on Friday to tell his version of the events (cough, deranged New Yorker rant, cough) that led to his sudden downfall in D.C., CNN reports.

— lisa ryan, The Cut, "Anthony Scaramucci Is Hosting an ‘Online Event’ to Tell His Side of the Story," 3 Aug. 2017
Mr Trump’s opponents once assumed that Russian election-meddling would be his downfall.

— The Economist, "If Donald Trump won a second termSuppose the Trump show runs and runs," 13 July 2017
So far there is not much sign of the fresh dawn that IS’s downfall should bring.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end," 5 July 2017
And this shade of white will do all those things for you without bumming you out with a goopy or streaky formula (the downfall of many white or pale pastel nail polish shades).

— sable yong, Allure, "Our Favorite New Beauty Products of June 2017," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'downfall.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of downfall

13th century

downfall Synonyms

Synonyms

death, destruction, ruin, ruination, undoing, kiss of death

Antonyms

ascent, rise, upswing

Related Words

bane, curse, torment; Achilles' heel, tragic flaw

Near Antonyms

advancement, development, evolution, growth; blossoming, flourishing, flowering; renewal, restoration, revitalization; heightening; accretion, accrual, addendum, addition, augmentation, boost, enhancement, gain, increase, increment, raise, supplement

DOWNFALL Defined for English Language Learners

downfall

play

noun

Definition of downfall for English Language Learners

: a sudden loss of power, happiness, success, etc.
: something that causes failure

DOWNFALL Defined for Kids

downfall

play

noun down·fall \ ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl \

Definition of downfall for Students

:a sudden fall (as from power, happiness, or a high position) or the cause of such a fall

the downfall of the Roman Empire

Greed proved to be his downfall.

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downfallen

\-ˌfȯl-ən\ adjective

Learn More about downfall

See words that rhyme with downfall Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for downfall Spanish Central: Translation of downfall Nglish: Translation of downfall for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of downfall for Arabic speakers

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downfall

Definition of downfall

downfallen

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Examples of downfall in a Sentence

Recent Examples of downfall from the Web

First Known Use of downfall

downfall Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

DOWNFALL Defined for English Language Learners

downfall

Definition of downfall for English Language Learners

DOWNFALL Defined for Kids

downfall

Definition of downfall for Students

downfallen

Learn More about downfall

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