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
More than a third of large animals that feast on dead animals are struggling to survive, and a new report from scientists warns that their downfall could present a serious risk to human life, with an uptick in zoonotic disease spread as a result.
—
New Atlas, 22 June 2025
Some slides did have a 1 hour wait time but that was the only downfall. ...
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025
At a time when countless think pieces have been penned about the downfall of original animation, particularly in the light of recent box office flops from major players like Pixar, Applehans says studios should look to broaden their outlook, instead of relying on tired tropes.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 1 July 2025
New Team Rises To Top, Red Sox Dive-Bomb Amid Struggles
Once again, his lack of popularity was his downfall, as the Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt and Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were chosen over Aranda by way of the fan vote.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
New Atlas, 22 June 2025
Some slides did have a 1 hour wait time but that was the only downfall. ...
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025
At a time when countless think pieces have been penned about the downfall of original animation, particularly in the light of recent box office flops from major players like Pixar, Applehans says studios should look to broaden their outlook, instead of relying on tired tropes.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 1 July 2025
New Team Rises To Top, Red Sox Dive-Bomb Amid Struggles
Once again, his lack of popularity was his downfall, as the Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt and Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were chosen over Aranda by way of the fan vote.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
In the first half of this season, two major league pitchers — Boston’s Liam Hendriks and Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr. — received anonymous death threats on social media and denounced them.—
Maria Torres,
New York Times,
15 July 2025
-
The Livestock Indemnity Plan currently provides help to livestock producers for livestock deaths not caused by natural mortality.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The art replaces a previous one that was located on Lake Street and removed in 2018 because of deterioration.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
-
Perry confirmed the system’s deterioration at the council’s May 28 meeting.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps then, when audiences witness the demise of a lawyer in an entertainment medium, their reaction may be more reflective of sympathy rather than satisfying delight.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Although many carmakers and consumers expected Trump to axe the tax credit, the rapidly approaching demise of the program (light speed in DC terms) is reverberating throughout the industry.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
The National Weather Service in Melbourne said the system could drop up to 4.5 inches in certain parts of Central Florida through Wednesday, although most of the region is forecast to see about 1 inch of rain.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
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The city set a new daily record after 2.64 inches of rain fell in Central Park on Monday, according to The New York Times.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Hopefully the residents of Hawkins will have peace in the end — but not before more destruction.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
-
The emergency biscuits slated for destruction represent only a small fraction of America’s typical annual investment in food aid.—
Hana Kiros,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The drive shafts were assembled with a lubricant that accelerates degradation of the drive shafts’protective coating, increasing the susceptibility to damage from road debris, according to the recall report.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
7 July 2025
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Despite being lightweight, the weeder is built with durability in mind and has a rust-resistant coating that protects it from corrosion and degradation over time.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
That’s the kind of business that earns loyalty, adapts with purpose, and survives the ups and downs that come with any economy.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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The experience is worth it The Puerto Rican economy, historically tied to the ups and downs of the U.S. economy, rarely grows on its own.—
Wilson Santiago Burgos,
USA Today,
20 July 2025
Noun
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Declaring a state of emergency allows the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to offer financial assistance under the State Disaster Relief Fund to help cover expenses caused by the storm damage.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
23 July 2025
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The outages came after monsoon storms moved across the state, bringing heavy rain, wind and flash flooding risk.—
Sasha Hupka,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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