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
Moss and George's complicated romantic relationship helped contribute to the band's downfall, and in 2023, Moss won $2.3 million in a lawsuit against the group, alleging that he was expelled before a 2018 tour.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Unfortunately, because Trump is not a career politician, some critics seem more eager to predict his downfall than support his efforts to succeed.
—Christopher Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 7 June 2025
The birth of house music in the 1980s was also, in part, a response to the heyday, and unceremonious downfall, of disco, another genre that had distinctly Black origins before garnering more mainstream attention via white artists and culture.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Now, Paris is speaking out about how the movie contributed to their downfall.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Unfortunately, because Trump is not a career politician, some critics seem more eager to predict his downfall than support his efforts to succeed.
—Christopher Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 7 June 2025
The birth of house music in the 1980s was also, in part, a response to the heyday, and unceremonious downfall, of disco, another genre that had distinctly Black origins before garnering more mainstream attention via white artists and culture.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Now, Paris is speaking out about how the movie contributed to their downfall.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
Ashton Town Football Club, which plays in Division One North of the North West Counties League, released a statement on social media confirming the death of 47-year-old Wright, the wife of team chairman Chris Wright.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
-
Using models, the authors estimated the impact of USAID funding on deaths from 2001 to 2021.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Most of the time, the summer slide—in other words, the deterioration of intellectual skills gained during the school year, during a period when kids are on breaks—is associated with a student’s reading skills, says Alexander.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
25 June 2025
-
The disease causes deterioration of nerve cells in the brain, a process that sets off a series of worsening symptoms.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Just months after Saint Archer’s demise, though, Japanese brewing behemoth Sapporo bought the county’s largest brewery, Stone.—
Peter Rowe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 July 2025
-
Nothing screams romance quite like lawmakers vigorously debating legislation or bills meeting their demise as deadlines loom.—
Brittany Carloni,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Twenty-three girls attending a Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River in the hills of Central Texas remained missing on Friday night after a torrent of rain thrashed the region before sunrise.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 July 2025
-
By Thursday evening, five inches of rain had fallen in parts of western Texas, including Midland and Odessa.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Leave the innocents, the children, the ones who just want to live a simple life, out of the bombing and destruction.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
-
The result of these and other assaults, wrote Jed Kolko, a former undersecretary for economic affairs at the Commerce Department overseeing data operations at the Census Bureau and BEA, will include the destruction of trust in U.S. economic data.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
In 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey reported that projected coral reef degradation in Florida could increase the coastal flood risk to more than 7,300 people at the cost of $823.6 million annually.—
Rafe Pomerance,
Sun Sentinel,
6 July 2025
-
The administration cited the degradation of the current FBI complex as a reason for the move.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement Advertisement But like all great friendships, the Trump-Netanyahu bromance has had its ups and downs.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
26 June 2025
-
However, there were some major ups and downs, with Kuminga seeing a lot of bench time late in the year and even at times in the playoffs.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
The storms may bring wind gusts of up to 60 mph and penny-sized hail (0.75 inches).—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
-
Without the Defense Department data, there will be bigger gaps in time when forecasters will not know the current conditions inside a storm.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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