1
as in ruins
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 deteriorations
a change to a lower state or level
the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demises
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 rains
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 downfalls
Lushly photographed and boosted by a few killer tracks, Daisy Jones & the Six delivers the lurid delights and downfalls of a satisfying behind-the-music tale.
—
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, as crypto analysts speculate whether further downfalls are in Bitcoin’s future, crypto bros are struggling to maintain a cohesive narrative in the face of such epic volatility.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 29, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
One of the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest downfalls last season was their lack of cornerback depth, and how quickly that was exposed as soon as injuries hit.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The soggy weather is expected to continue through Tuesday with the heaviest downfalls tapering off by midday Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
With a resurgence happening, Schoen's downfalls are becoming more apparent.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Some of those mistakes eventually cause their downfalls.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
The lack of effective clock management was one of the downfalls of the Bears’ last coach, Matt Eberflus.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, as crypto analysts speculate whether further downfalls are in Bitcoin’s future, crypto bros are struggling to maintain a cohesive narrative in the face of such epic volatility.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 29, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
One of the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest downfalls last season was their lack of cornerback depth, and how quickly that was exposed as soon as injuries hit.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The soggy weather is expected to continue through Tuesday with the heaviest downfalls tapering off by midday Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
With a resurgence happening, Schoen's downfalls are becoming more apparent.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Some of those mistakes eventually cause their downfalls.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
The lack of effective clock management was one of the downfalls of the Bears’ last coach, Matt Eberflus.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfalls
Noun
-
Other people are giving up on remote Nyatim and going home to ruins.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There are ancient ruins hidden among the peaks of Colombia, and floating islands on Peru’s most sacred lake.—
Carla Vianna,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight company Musk founded in 2002, has endured a few more fiery demises of the mammoth Starship rocket since that explosive debut.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The next day, steady rains caused the F1 Academy race to be cancelled and the first 20 laps of the Miami Grand Prix to be crawled behind the safety car.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Summers that pummeled the plants with monsoon-like rains?—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
In 1999, the Bridge Creek–Moore tornado struck the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, causing 41 deaths and nearly 600 injuries; the tornado’s top wind speed of 321 mph was the highest ever recorded on Earth.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
But the business drew scrutiny after 31 sloth deaths in its warehouse facility came to light in reporting from Inside Climate News.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The answer is not much—Fennell makes explicit, via sadomasochism, the power differentials and emotional degradations that are so often ambiguous in the original.—
Rhian Sasseen,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
-
If Wyatt and Surrey could pen brilliant sonnets under Tudor tyranny, then certainly great art can be produced under capitalism despite its particular degradations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Farming has always been a challenging endeavor, one that operates at the whim of external forces but with little margin for setbacks.—
The Virginian Pilot And Daily Press Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
Building codes also pose challenges that can impact sinks and setbacks for fire safety for ovens.—
John W. Bateman,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Some storms could produce hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, especially with stronger rotating cells.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Hail damage contributed to $51 billion in insured losses last year from severe storms, according to the Insurance Information Institute.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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