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
What appears to be a series of dramatic personal downfalls is in fact part of a broader pattern shaped by the country’s political system.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Lushly photographed and boosted by a few killer tracks, Daisy Jones & the Six delivers the lurid delights and downfalls of a satisfying behind-the-music tale.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, as crypto analysts speculate whether further downfalls are in Bitcoin’s future, crypto bros are struggling to maintain a cohesive narrative in the face of such epic volatility.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 29, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
One of the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest downfalls last season was their lack of cornerback depth, and how quickly that was exposed as soon as injuries hit.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The soggy weather is expected to continue through Tuesday with the heaviest downfalls tapering off by midday Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
With a resurgence happening, Schoen's downfalls are becoming more apparent.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Lushly photographed and boosted by a few killer tracks, Daisy Jones & the Six delivers the lurid delights and downfalls of a satisfying behind-the-music tale.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Now, as crypto analysts speculate whether further downfalls are in Bitcoin’s future, crypto bros are struggling to maintain a cohesive narrative in the face of such epic volatility.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 29, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026
One of the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest downfalls last season was their lack of cornerback depth, and how quickly that was exposed as soon as injuries hit.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The soggy weather is expected to continue through Tuesday with the heaviest downfalls tapering off by midday Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
—Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
With a resurgence happening, Schoen's downfalls are becoming more apparent.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfalls
Noun
-
The hotel spa includes a hammam, gravitational tub, sauna, and salt wall, all of which are ensconced among Roman ruins.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
-
Almost 18 months after the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule, large parts of Syria's main cities like Aleppo and Raqqa in the north, and Homs in the center, as well as parts of Damascus, remain in ruins.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight company Musk founded in 2002, has endured a few more fiery demises of the mammoth Starship rocket since that explosive debut.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Sufficient water levels provide weight to hold a pool in place when heavy rains raise the local water table, according to the Florida Swimming Pool Association.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper warns that a massive fish kill stretching at least 20 miles has occurred on the Chattahoochee River near the city of Atlanta, likely connected to heavy rains that caused flooding this week.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Ukrainian forces likely suffered around 500,000 to 600,000 military casualties between 2022 and 2025, the report found, which includes up to 140,000 deaths.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Key parameters such as time to recover (TTR), revenue at risk, lead times, OTIF and service-level degradations can be evaluated and compared across mitigation options.—
Dileep Rai,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The answer is not much—Fennell makes explicit, via sadomasochism, the power differentials and emotional degradations that are so often ambiguous in the original.—
Rhian Sasseen,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But on July 1, after years of highs, lows and financial setbacks, Connie & Ted’s will close.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
-
Early setbacks — including the contraction of teams like the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny — highlighted the league’s vulnerability.—
Clemente Lisi,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
This is accepted standard practice in the region, but the baterias often overflow during storms, sending water rich in heavy metals into the streams that feed the Caqueta river.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
The weather pattern has already brought some showers to Northern California, where additional storms are expected all week, according to the weather service.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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