downfall

American  

[doun-fawl] / ˈdaʊnˌfɔl /

noun

1. descent to a lower position or standing; overthrow; ruin.

2. something causing ruin, failure, etc..

   Liquor was his downfall.

3. a fall, as of rain, snow, or the like, often sudden or heavy.

4. a trap using a falling weight for killing, injuring, or imprisoning the prey.

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downfall British  

/ ˈdaʊnˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a sudden loss of position, health, or reputation

2. a fall of rain, snow, etc, esp a sudden heavy one

3. another word for deadfall

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Other Word Forms

• downfallen
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of downfall

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; down ¹ + fall

Explanation

A downfall is a sudden drop in status or strength. You might be winning at Monopoly until your opponents decide to team up against you, which leads to your downfall. Poor political decisions can result in the downfall of a government or party, and an economic depression can lead to the downfall of businesses and banks. A more literal, but less common, kind of downfall is when rain or snow falls down to the ground: "The downfall of snow will make the roads slippery tonight." The "decline in strength" meaning has been in use since the 14th century.

Example Sentences

As the book’s subtitle indicates, Mr. Bayliss, a scholar of Greek history at the University of Birmingham in England, situates the Spartans firmly within the time-honored pattern of overreach leading to downfall.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

But he stopped short of predicting such a downfall of Iran's regime.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

When the first movie came out, I was an assistant editor at New York magazine, working in a thriving industry on the cusp of a digital revolution that would ultimately prove to be its downfall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Evergrande's downfall has often been cited as a trigger for China's persistent property market slump, which spiralled downwards in 2021 and has weighed heavily on the country's economic development.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

And Samir’s stories were his downfall as well.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• breakdown
• collapse
• debacle
• destruction
• deterioration
• overthrow
• undoing