downfall

noun

ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl How to pronounce downfall (audio)
Definition of downfallnext
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

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2
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire

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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

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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

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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 But Gaston and others blame the downfall of Red Lobster on events that date much further back. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 Rogers’ indiscretion was later exploited by online blackmail scammers, ultimately leading to his downfall. — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026 Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been approved to move to a halfway house next year, ABC News reported, years after her stunning downfall that culminated in a conviction for defrauding investors while running her failed blood testing startup. — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Failing to recognize that flaw has been the downfall of emperors and autocrats. — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
  1. death
  2. deterioration
  3. demise
  4. rain
  5. destruction
  6. degradation
  7. down
  8. storm
Noun
  • The death of actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte was met with a wave of grief from his Breaking Bad co-stars, who shared memories of Mitte following the tragedy.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Pavlovsky worked alongside Karl Lagerfeld until his death in 2019; Virginie Viard from 2019 to 2024, and Matthieu Blazy since April 2025.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • Unlike Netflix, Disney is wrestling with the ongoing deterioration of linear TV.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • That creates a different situation when a condition begins with something a resident or guest did rather than deterioration of the building or a maintenance issue.
    — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Noun
  • Above all, the election could herald the political demise of Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving PM, who has led the nation for all but 18 months since 2009.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Columnist Bill Plaschke wrote how a team with seemingly every advantage fell short, beat writer Maddie Lee documented what led to the demise, while columnist Bill Shaikin provided updates to several questions on the team’s future.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of demise
Noun
  • However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • However, following his arrest, the owner blamed this week’s rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.
    — Riaz Khan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rain
Noun
  • The end of saving money and raising middle-class wages justifies the means, namely, the destruction of immigrant families.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • The degradation is shameful, and shamefully compelling to read about.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The work also revises some degradation mechanisms described in earlier scientific literature, which the researchers said had relied largely on assumptions rather than experimental evidence.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of degradation
Noun
  • That came in the fourth quarter, requiring Manning to throw a Hail Mary-adjacent 62-yard fourth-down heave to keep the drive alive.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • After Bachmeier’s go-ahead TD pass to Walker Lyons, CJ Carr completed several clutch throws to drive the Irish (6-1) into Cougars territory, including a fourth-down pass to Micah Gilbert that put Notre Dame at the BYU 9 with four seconds left.
    — John Coon, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of down
Noun
  • After the initial blast, which spews out gamma rays, a storm of radiation pours into the surrounding galaxy, creating a ferocious afterglow that burns in every part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After this week’s storm, temperatures are expected to climb back into the upper 70s and low 80s through the weekend.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of storm

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downers
downfall
downfalls
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Cite this Entry

“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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