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
Will this be his ultimate political downfall?
—
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Through this lens, Slater’s downfall at DOJ is less an ideological thumping than a mundane drama of personality and personnel fights.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
But Hadder says the department’s downfall essentially hinged on Sawyer’s order.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
However, Horton’s downfall, amid the collapse of the downtown office market, appears distinct from the Spreckels Building situation.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
Through this lens, Slater’s downfall at DOJ is less an ideological thumping than a mundane drama of personality and personnel fights.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
But Hadder says the department’s downfall essentially hinged on Sawyer’s order.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
However, Horton’s downfall, amid the collapse of the downtown office market, appears distinct from the Spreckels Building situation.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
-
The coroner said next of kin have been notified, and the cause and manner of death for each are pending autopsy results.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
He was initially sentenced to death, though the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was later pardoned.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Avalanches are rapid, massive slides of snow, ice, rock and soil that can be caused by storms, earthquakes or snowpack deterioration.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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With Amazon Web Services (AWS), advertising and logistics automation continuing to scale, Amazon’s recent weakness appears to reflect sentiment fatigue rather than a deterioration in business quality.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Needless to say, cabin fever brings on their demise .—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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This network will undock from the orbiting lab before its demise, becoming the free-flying Axiom Station.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As the rain lessened, the wind increased, making holes 12 to 16 particularly challenging.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The weather service said in its forecast temperatures are expected to rise Sunday before rain returns to the Sacramento Valley on Monday.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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He was initially charged in July 2025 and indicted by a grand jury on one count of malicious destruction of government property in August 2025.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Michigan State Police says the suspect now faces 11 felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges that include check fraud and malicious destruction of property.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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To more explicitly address his concerns about environmental degradation, Lambert attached an infographic and explanatory statement next to his work.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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As a result of the degradation, there is a higher risk of metal fragments being launched into the cabin by the airbags when deployed.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Both men had illustrious careers with plenty of ups and downs before this scathing screed, yet the movie is the cornerstone of their respective legacies.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2026
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Muller has spent the past 12 years experiencing the ups and downs, fitful starts and stops her sport has endured since first splashing on the Swiss hockey scene as a 15-year-old by scoring her nation’s first bronze-medal clinching goal at the 2014 Sochi Games.—
John Wawrow,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
This week’s storms are especially welcome because the statewide snowpack has been lagging after weeks of unusually warm, dry weather.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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