downfall

[doun-fawl]

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.

downfall

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• downfallen adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of downfall¹

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

Example Sentences

The full story of what exactly precipitated the downfall of the BBC's director general and his CEO of News is probably still emerging.

Read more on BBC

Smith agrees and his version of Bunny is more beguiling and dangerous, and his appeal makes his downfall harder to dismiss.

Read more on BBC

The downfall happened quickly, but so can his rise.

Read more on BBC

"Now it will be used as a pathway for White immigration," Reichlin-Melnick said on X. "What a downfall for a crown jewel of America's international humanitarian programs."

Read more on Barron's

"A light, fresh, easy-to-digest product with a few choice toppings, not the massively greasy, heavy and overloaded pizzas of the past. That, I think, is what's caused Pizza Hut's downfall," she says.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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