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
Following the downfall of Zhang and his lieutenant in January, an editorial published by the official PLA Daily newspaper accused the two former military leaders of undermining Xi’s ultimate authority while also reinforcing Xi’s message of zero-tolerance on corruption.
—
Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The Venezuelan Communist Party, which had already distanced itself from Maduro before his downfall, has become another major source of criticism against Rodríguez’s administration.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Twelve hours after Minnesota’s Game 5 elimination, Kyle Anderson had a theory for the downfall.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 3 May 2026
Matt Gelb has the inside story of Thomson’s downfall.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The Venezuelan Communist Party, which had already distanced itself from Maduro before his downfall, has become another major source of criticism against Rodríguez’s administration.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Twelve hours after Minnesota’s Game 5 elimination, Kyle Anderson had a theory for the downfall.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 3 May 2026
Matt Gelb has the inside story of Thomson’s downfall.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
The music publication Revolver reported in a 2023 article about Cold as Life that the hard rock band continued to perform after its frontman’s death.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Since 2018, authorities had used advanced DNA evidence to link Brashers to the strangulation death of a South Carolina woman in 1990, the 1997 rape of a 14-year-old girl in Tennessee and the shooting of a mother and daughter in Missouri in 1998.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The following month, the Veterans Administration filed a report stating that the Nautilus Veterans Hospital was in a severe state of deterioration, mostly because of the dampness from the sea air, which caused the concrete’s steel rods to rust and give way.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
-
The switch in alliances has coincided with the rapid deterioration of the security situation in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
D’Amaro has weathered a few bumps in his initial weeks on the job, however, among them the Bachelor meltdown, new attacks on Jimmy Kimmel, layoffs and the demise of a deal with OpenAI that was made on Iger’s watch.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
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Now the airline’s demise has cleared the way for competitors to raise their prices—and has left roughly seventeen thousand people out of work.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
If left out, they can get weathered and moldy from the rain and become home to bugs or allergens.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
14 May 2026
-
Why this matters for safety and cost Inadequately maintained roads and drainage systems become dangerous during heavy rain, extreme heat, or winter weather.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
GameStop’s $65 billion, half-cash/half-stock bid would heavily dilute shareholders, add risky leverage, and require an unrealistically high valuation multiple, making value destruction more likely than creating an Amazon rival.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
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The letter warns that these dynamics are not only driving environmental destruction but also weakening Indigenous governance and territorial control.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The move was widely seen as an effort to reassure consumers that ultra-fast charging technology would not result in excessive long-term battery degradation.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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But experts believe environmental degradation caused by climate change and human activity is contributing to its spread by allowing the rodents that transmit the virus to thrive in new areas.—
Gonzalo Zegarra,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
My Costa Rican Hammam Experience included a vigorous scrub-down on a marble slab in the steamy hammam that used a Costa Rican coffee bean exfoliator for a local twist, followed by a heavenly massage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
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Eligible buyers may qualify for up to $10,000 to $17,000 in assistance toward a down payment, closing costs or interest rate buy-downs with additional programs that may offer more assistance.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
If there's a major storm, that could be the defining feature.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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The musical took Broadway by storm back in 1996, running for 12 years and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Musical and more.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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