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
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
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
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But on that record, even the happiest songs had a kind of love-among-the-ruins feel, where the romanticism seemed hard-fought.—
Liz Schubauer,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The colt doesn’t know the racetrack he was bred for – the pride of Ruidoso – lies in ruins for the second year running, gutted by floodwaters that turned familiar dirt into a sucking bog of mud.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The mission, the fourth of 2025, would also be Starship's first flight since May 27 amid a year plagued by explosive demises for the vehicle.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
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But a good time in enviable vacation spots is guaranteed, with ghoulish demises for many principal figures here served up like caviar on sashimi.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The hurricane center also is watching a disturbed area over the Bay of Campeche in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico that has a minimal chance of formation but is forecast to bring heavy rains to portions of Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula and southern Mexico this week.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The storm is currently moving north-northwest at about 5 mph, and is expected to bring heavy rains and gusty winds over parts of southwestern Mexico on Monday.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Both deaths are portrayed in the show.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Violent crime lower this summer in Indianapolis IndyStar and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police data show that in the first six months of 2025, there was a significant dip in year-to-date deaths compared to the past five years.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For Parisian Jews in 1941 and 1942, these thefts were compounded by a cascade of other degradations, including the loss of distinguished positions at the Sorbonne, in banking, science, and medicine, with more devastation to come.—
Christopher C. Gorham
September 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The setbacks last year were against Oregon and Penn State, the latter game being in the College Football Playoff.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Oct. 2025
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Plus, the team will surely look to upgrade its starting rotation after a series of injuries and setbacks drove its early exit.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The organization focuses on the big disasters that often grip the headlines, such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes – but also offers information about preparing for winter storms, tsunamis, tornados, lightning, hail and extreme heat.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
With a constellation of eyes in the sky, forecasters could suddenly monitor conditions over oceans and remote landmasses, filling in major gaps in their models and providing an early warning system about potential storms forming far away.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The last of the old curses and the purest championship drought in the sport.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Set for Vietnamese release in the fourth quarter of 2025, The Whispering Spirit is based on ancient myths about special days known as ‘Tam Nương’ that have curses placed on them.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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