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
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Recent Examples of downfalls
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
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
-
With its quiet chapels, ancient ruins, vineyards, and the island’s restaurant La Tonnelle, Saint-Honorat is a place where visitors are welcome, but peace is preserved.—
Jeryl Brunner,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
That includes stepping back in time to see ruins in Greece, Italy, and Egypt, as well as wildlife and nature-based trips, such as the Galapagos Islands.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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But a good time in enviable vacation spots is guaranteed, with ghoulish demises for many principal figures here served up like caviar on sashimi.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Other states affected by heavy rains include Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in the north of the country and Telangana in the south.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Timely rains in 2024 fell prior to the survey being conducted, which contributed to the elevated pond counts last year.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
An anime about a teenager avenging the deaths of his family at the hands of hordes of carnivorous demons wouldn’t usually be the sort of film which would be met with unanimous praise from critics.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Days of unrest in Nepal have resulted in the ousting of a deeply unpopular government and the deaths of at least 50 people.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Now the Braves will be left to regroup this winter after several injury setbacks for their star players.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
After more than 20 years of setbacks, Union Pacific Park in Fullerton is in the final stages of a complete overhaul and should be back open to the public by the end of the year.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The lawsuits seek money to help communities cope with the risks and harms from global warming, including more extreme storms, floods and heat waves.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
-
After years of delays from heavy winter storms, COVID, funding shortfalls, and more fires, crews built a new trail as part of a $2 million upgrade to the park, with impressive new wooden bridges, signs and other amenities, completing the project in 2021.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Set for Vietnamese release in the fourth quarter of 2025, The Whispering Spirit is based on ancient myths about special days known as ‘Tam Nương’ that have curses placed on them.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
19 Sep. 2025
-
As rocks and curses flew from the street, bullets spat from the middle window on the south side of the house.—
Neal Rubin,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Among the most frequent problems are falls, bed sores, and gaps in care that are only exacerbated by overstretched staff and high turnover.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Hospitals are piloting computer vision systems that use cameras and algorithms to detect and prevent falls.—
Theresa McDonnell,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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