1
as in death
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 deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demise
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 rain
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
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Recent Examples of downfall
What People Think Opinions related to business and economic issues submitted to The Hill:
Trump’s tariffs will be his own downfall
Stop letting foreign executives cheat American investors
You’re all caught up.
—
Aris Folley, The Hill, 24 Mar. 2025
Both Eriksson and Capello were startled by the off-field challenge of managing England and their downfalls ultimately had little to do with footballing matters.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
The sheer velocity of Assad's downfall in just 11 days at the hands of a shocking rebel advance laid bare the weakness of his ailing government at a time when allies were spread thin on other fronts.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Conventional wisdom attributes Cromwell’s downfall to his role in organizing the disastrous match.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Aris Folley, The Hill, 24 Mar. 2025
Both Eriksson and Capello were startled by the off-field challenge of managing England and their downfalls ultimately had little to do with footballing matters.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
The sheer velocity of Assad's downfall in just 11 days at the hands of a shocking rebel advance laid bare the weakness of his ailing government at a time when allies were spread thin on other fronts.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Conventional wisdom attributes Cromwell’s downfall to his role in organizing the disastrous match.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
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William has been regularly using his father’s lawyers Harbottle & Lewis and its partner, Gerrard Tyrrell — and made the move to Mishcon de Reya, which represented Princess Diana in her divorce from Charles a year before her accidental death.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2025
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Jury selection for Karen Read's retrial on murder and other charges in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, resumes Thursday with just one more seat to fill.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As leaders in the industry who have spent countless hours underground repairing failing gas lines, our licensed gas contractors have witnessed firsthand the deterioration of our state’s natural gas infrastructure.—
Harley Flack,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Apr. 2025
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Not spending enough time in the two deep stages of slumber might speed up the deterioration of parts of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The tragic demise of Hamlet and Ophelia, driven by revenge and resulting in a watery end, were echoed by the death of two characters.—
Audrey Gibbs,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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The true result of a declining dollar will be the demise of the very economic power Trump is attempting to wield.—
Edward Fishman,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In a lot of areas, there will be less than an inch of rain, especially in those areas hardest hit [by floods], so that's good news.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Jonesboro, Arkansas, also experienced its wettest April day on record on Saturday, with 5.06 inches of rain recorded.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The path of destruction stretched about 11 miles in the city outside Tulsa, and radar indicated a possible tornado had formed, according to a statement from city government.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
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On March 28, an individual who had been missing since Helene's destruction was found and identified as 66-year-old Russell Wilber, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Wednesday.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
This is, in part, about the degradation, devaluation, and replacement of writers.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
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Soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate volatility have become immediate operational threats.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The first eight seasons of Chicago Med featured the dramatic ups and downs between Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) and Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto), and everyone tuned in to watch ED nurse April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) finally tie the knot with Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee).—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Bristol Myers Squibb: Two Harbors Investment: American Express: In general, dividends are not always predictable, following the ups and downs of company profits over time.—
Dividend Channel,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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At least eight people have already lost their lives due to the severe storm systems, including a young boy in Frankfort, Ky., who was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus, according to the state's governor, Andy Beshear.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2025
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The storm system is the latest in a string of damaging weather this week that began Wednesday and will continue into Sunday.—
Amir Mahmoud,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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