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 well as campaigning against capital punishment and the obligatory headscarf for women, she has also regularly predicted the downfall of the clerical system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

A 2018 Vanity Fair feature about the downfall of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein contained a fleeting detail about two statuettes that the Weinstein Company won back-to-back for The King's Speech and The Artist.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Means’s downfall has left Kennedy without a nominee he recently called “the most articulate, eloquent and erudite evangelist” for his movement.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

What ultimately led to her downfall, I think, were the separation of powers and the Fifth and Sixth amendments.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

What little weaknesses can bring about a man’s downfall!

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

Related Words

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