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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downfall
Turnovers have been the team’s downfall.
—
Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025
Although both players were made to save break points early on in the deciding set, Nosková faltered first as Anisimova took a 4-2 lead, cutting down on the unforced errors that were her downfall in the second.
—Frank Nunns O'Connell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
My downfall was rooted in my selfishness.
—Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
This time around, Ava (Janelle James) is back in the principal's office and is eager, as usual, to see Janine's (Quinta Brunson) downfall as she's overloaded with 40 students in her second-grade class.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025
Although both players were made to save break points early on in the deciding set, Nosková faltered first as Anisimova took a 4-2 lead, cutting down on the unforced errors that were her downfall in the second.
—Frank Nunns O'Connell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
My downfall was rooted in my selfishness.
—Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
This time around, Ava (Janelle James) is back in the principal's office and is eager, as usual, to see Janine's (Quinta Brunson) downfall as she's overloaded with 40 students in her second-grade class.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
Alison Catlow, a coroner’s officer for Greater Manchester police, told the inquest Hatton had last been seen by his family two days before his death.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
In 2024, 221 deer crashes involved a motorcycle, resulting in seven deaths and 87 serious injuries.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Whitney Portal will observe sharp deterioration in conditions with extreme danger to hikers and campers unprepared for the winter weather.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Casualties among Gaza’s police force during the two-year conflict have contributed to a deterioration in security, with looting of aid becoming commonplace.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As details of Prince Andrew's past correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein continue to surface, royal experts claim King Charles III is facing mounting pressure from family members to exile his brother as fear of the monarchy's demise lingers.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The mission, coming a little less than two months since the previous Starship demonstration in August, helped to further snap a run of three tests early in 2025 in which the vehicle met a premature fiery demise before completing many key objectives.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Keep scrolling to shop more rain boots on sale at Amazon.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Guest rooms are a chic combination of old world charm and modern luxury, with generously sized marble bathrooms with heated floors and rain showers.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Israeli officials say Hamas could hand over six more bodies immediately out of the 15 still believed in Gaza, though some remains may be impossible to recover amid widespread destruction.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Amid the destruction of war and the uncertainty of a ceasefire barely a week old, Palestinians in Gaza now face a stark reality.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In her article, Jane reminds us that meat consumption is responsible for animal suffering and environmental degradation.—
Lisa Wade,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Overall, the most prevalent cause of bird population declines is habitat loss and degradation, driven especially by agricultural expansion and intensification and logging, the IUCN said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The offense as a whole wasn’t a match for the Lions’ defense, as the Bucs turned the ball over on downs on their final three possessions of the 24-9 loss.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Then, over the next nine years, Chelsey became Kiera's rock, adding love and support during the ups and downs in life.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As such, its Stow boot retains practical features like a watertight Goodyear storm welt and a half bellows tongue that will further deflect rain.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
-
In some cases, a major winter storm will dump heavy snow in northern areas, while the South contends with a springlike severe storm threat from the same system.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share