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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Mak’s wife, Kit Chan, 74, likened their home to ruins.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Drone video shows the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil in ruins following the Israel Defense Force's strikes on the area.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.—
Sarah Brumfield,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
New Braunfels has reopened public access to the Comal River after this week’s heavy rains raised concerns about the waterway flooding.—
Ricardo Delgado,
San Antonio Express-News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors analyzed the deaths and argued that the two similar deaths couldn't be coincidental.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 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
-
There have been setbacks along the way.—
Jonathan Bullington,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But noise, as well as glare, are typically buffered with vegetative landscaping and setbacks, or the distance between the property line and the nearest structure.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As for temperatures, the high Wednesday will reach the upper 50s, followed by a high of 79 Thursday before storms set in.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
While rain chances won't be too impressive, any of these storms that fire up do have the potential to turn severe.—
Michael Autovino,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
