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
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2
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire
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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
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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of downfall
Crypto cash also contributed to the primary election downfalls of industry critics, including Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.).
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Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
Some of the men whose downfalls were celebrated during the height of the #MeToo movement have been welcomed back with open arms.
—Julie Roginsky, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024
Presley remarried and, using IVF, had twin daughters at 40 — which, oddly, marked the beginning of a long downfall.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
Centuries later, a devastating earthquake in 363 C.E. caused significant damage, hastening the city’s downfall.
—Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for downfall 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall
Noun
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Another 27 people remain at large and charges have been dropped against 7 people due to their deaths.Abbas Al Lawati, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
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Alabama had been accused of botching an execution attempt using lethal injection, the default method of putting inmates to death.CBS News, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Depreciation of revenue earning vehicles and lease charges, net increased significantly to $937 million from $501 million in the previous year, due to deterioration in residual values and decreased holding periods.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024
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On Saturday, jurors sat through hours of silent footage showing Allen's mental deterioration at Westville.Ron Wilkins, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The ship’s demise has broken the hearts of a long line of men who could not save her.Alyssa Bereznak, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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England and Gage said this money changed the company’s outlook and led to its demise.Max Scheinblum, The Denver Post, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Forecasters say Southern California could see rain beginning this weekend and into early next week.Alyssa Bereznak, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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Because waterproofness isn't as critical in sleeping bags (compared to a rain jacket), there's usually no difference between PFC-free sleeping bags and those that aren't.Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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That campaign, started during Barack Obama’s presidency, included battles in Mosul, where an effort to evict approximately 5,000 ISIS fighters in the city led to perhaps 10,000 civilian deaths and the destruction of the city.Eugene Kontorovich, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
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Zepeda pleaded guilty on Aug. 15 to felony destruction of property for dumping a fine red powder over a display case containing the U.S. Constitution in the Rotunda of the Archives building.Stepheny Price, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Pumping to supply farms and cities has contributed to the ecological degradation of the Delta, where fish populations have suffered declines in recent years.Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
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Even slightly warm bread will produce condensation within its packaging, which leads to instant quality degradation and faster spoilage.Darcy Lenz, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Fans of opening day are looking for that oomph to carry you through a long season of ups and downs.Frederick Dreier and Adam Roy, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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The results made something very clear– Black people in the United States heavily rely on Christianity to get through the ups and downs of everyday life.Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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It was being driven by high winds that were sweeping the area as a winter storm arrived.Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
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The storm is now about 195 miles west of Key West, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, moving northwest at 9 mph, the National Hurricane Center said at 7 a.m. ET.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near downfall
Cite this Entry
“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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