downfall

noun

down·​fall ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl 

1

a

: a sudden fall (as from power)

b

: a fall (as of snow or rain) especially when sudden or heavy

2

: something that causes a downfall (as of a person)

gambling was his downfall

downfallen

ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯ-lən 

adjective

Synonyms

• death
• destruction
• ruin
• ruination
• undoing

Examples of downfall in a Sentence

Their downfall was the result of several bad decisions.

Bad decision-making was their downfall.

Recent Examples on the Web

But that is also its downfall as people fall into the trap of thinking a hurricane's winds, storm surge and flooding rain will fit neatly inside the confines of the fuzzy white funnel, and that the tropical cyclone will track down the middle. —Kimberly Miller, The Enquirer, 12 June 2024

The low tallies are the vehicle’s primary downfall and an unsatisfying characteristic of the three-row SUV segment. —James Raia, The Mercury News, 9 June 2024

Across the Normandy coast where the largest-ever land, sea and air armada punctured Adolf Hitler's defenses in western Europe on D-Day and helped precipitate his downfall 11 months later, Allied veterans are the VVIPs of this week's 80th anniversary celebrations. —John Leicester, TIME, 4 June 2024

The result of South Africa’s election could portend the downfall of other liberation parties, analysts said. —John Eligon, New York Times, 1 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

downfall

noun

down·​fall ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl 

1

: fall sense 2c

especially : a sudden or heavy fall (as of rain)

2

: a fall (as from power, happiness, or high position) or a cause of such a fall

downfallen

-ˌfȯ-lən 

adjective