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
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
Kindness can lead to your downfall (Cedric Diggory).
—
David Oliver, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
But the downfall of such a high-profile recycling operation casts a long shadow over the realism of those goals.
—Clara Hernanz Lizarraga, Fortune Europe, 12 Apr. 2024
If Simpson was the architect of his own downfall, the media was an eager spectator.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Get to The Point With the meteoric rise of TikTok came the downfall of the attention span.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
Facing a tough advertising climate and continual threats to business like changes to social media algorithms, titles such as Sports Illustrated, Time and Buzzfeed have made significant cuts this year alone, while the downfalls of The Messenger and Vice News have led to hundreds of job losses.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Beginning of the mogul’s downfall? Jones’ lawsuit wasn’t the only time similar allegations have come to light.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
In your opinion, what led to the downfall of Washington coach Mike Hopkins? — @MrEd315
That’s as clear as a bad pass or errant shot: The Huskies never got the scoring piece figured out.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
The story was seemingly made to capture attention: the downfall of a powerful Southern family that also had the true-crime elements that can engage an insatiable audience.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
David Oliver, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
But the downfall of such a high-profile recycling operation casts a long shadow over the realism of those goals.
—Clara Hernanz Lizarraga, Fortune Europe, 12 Apr. 2024
If Simpson was the architect of his own downfall, the media was an eager spectator.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Get to The Point With the meteoric rise of TikTok came the downfall of the attention span.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
Facing a tough advertising climate and continual threats to business like changes to social media algorithms, titles such as Sports Illustrated, Time and Buzzfeed have made significant cuts this year alone, while the downfalls of The Messenger and Vice News have led to hundreds of job losses.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Beginning of the mogul’s downfall? Jones’ lawsuit wasn’t the only time similar allegations have come to light.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
In your opinion, what led to the downfall of Washington coach Mike Hopkins? — @MrEd315
That’s as clear as a bad pass or errant shot: The Huskies never got the scoring piece figured out.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
The story was seemingly made to capture attention: the downfall of a powerful Southern family that also had the true-crime elements that can engage an insatiable audience.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downfall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of downfall was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near downfall
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downfall. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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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
More from Merriam-Webster on downfall
Nglish: Translation of downfall for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of downfall for Arabic Speakers
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