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

Example Sentences

Prediction markets let people wager on a basketball game or a presidential election — and recently, the downfall of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.

From Los Angeles Times

Hehir told the Metro: "I'm not a guy who attacks people, but I will defend people in trouble, which has unfortunately proved to be my downfall."

From BBC

It’s also illogical: Why should we mourn the downfall of such a system?

From The Wall Street Journal

She won a 2017 Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, or Sabew, award for her coverage of the retail industry in crisis, including a series of stories about the downfall of Sears.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the end, it was an escalation in the junta's conflict with ethnic armies that led to the downfall of the mafia in Laukkaing.

From BBC

Related Words

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