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
The downfall of China’s top general, second in command and once a close ally of President Xi Jinping, has thrown the leadership of the country’s military into turmoil and raised questions about Taiwan's future.
—
Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
And that often is their downfall.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Together, those provisions led to the law’s downfall.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
From Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, the Norman station predicts that the majority of the downfall will include snow ice accumulations.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
And that often is their downfall.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Together, those provisions led to the law’s downfall.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
From Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, the Norman station predicts that the majority of the downfall will include snow ice accumulations.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
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The preliminary cause of death was multiple sharp-force injuries.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
He was condemned for the April 1998 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, at the woman's suburban Houston apartment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Cleaning Products And Chemicals Paint, fertilizer, weed killer, pool cleaners, and other temperature-sensitive chemicals should be brought indoors for the winter to prevent freezing and deterioration.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
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Motorists traveling across the area this morning, including along I-85 and I-77 through Charlotte metro and vicinity, should be prepared for sudden deterioration in visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The demise of the Mercedes and the investigations that followed generated reams of paperwork, which now told Dooley the rest of the story.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Since the demise of the deputy executive director, New Jersey has, by informal agreement, selected the chairman of the Port’s board.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods that often kill dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These storms begin as minor or average storms and then go through a rapid, explosive intensification, delivering heavy snow, blizzards, thundersnow, coastal flooding and flooding rains.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In June 2025, EOS demonstrated the destruction of a tank using a Rodeur 330 fitted with an inert warhead, controlled via FPV.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
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While navigating Westport by car or on foot is chaotic right now, the goal is to prevent destruction in the future.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The cold can also freeze liquids, crack containers and prompt chemical degradation.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Grave of the Fireflies is about the horrors and degradations of war.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Key is a first-team All-Pro special teamer, Tillman is a regular in the OLB rotation, Badie was Denver’s third-down back and Jackson didn’t play a ton but only because of Denver’s terrific defensive line depth.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The Seahawks put the game away thanks to a fourth-down stop with less than five minutes remaining.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The tragedy marked the second fatal incident involving North Texas students during the winter storm.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Several crashes have been reported across North Texas Wednesday morning, as roadways remain icy and hazardous following a winter storm that swept through the region this past weekend.—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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