DOWNFALL Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

downfall

noun

ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl

Definition of downfall

as in death

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

as in deterioration

a change to a lower state or level the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in demise

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

as in rain

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of downfall Still, the widespread belief that Engelbert hasn’t done enough to protect players might be her downfall. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026 The plant that once symbolized nuclear power’s downfall will soon run chatbots. — Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 That’s always the rise and downfall, thinking somebody is cooler than you. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 24 July 2026 And ultimately, the same political infighting and naked ambition that led to his rise would lead to his downfall. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for downfall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfall

Noun

Robert’s backstory — his life in Chicago, his mother’s tragic accidental death, his dad wanting to send him to military school, his aunt in Century City offering to take him in — sounds overly rehearsed.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
Michigan alone has reported more than 12,000 cases — including two deaths.

— CBS News, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of death

Noun

Goodwill of Silicon Valley signed a lease for a new San Jose store in a deal that enables the nonprofit to expand and fill a space that became vacant due to the demise of a nationwide retailer.

— George Avalos, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
By that point, there was little time left in the production for his actual demise.

— Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026

Definition of demise

Noun

The term was coined in 1981 based on the cases of four elderly women in Wisconsin who, like the man, had severe destruction of their shoulder joints and massive tears to their rotator cuffs.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Its mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, posted a video to X showing widespread destruction in part of the city.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 30 July 2026

Definition of destruction

Noun

Friday will be more active with more widespread coverage of showers and storms.

— Katie Houlis, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
The Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, has placed central and eastern Missouri at a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe storms.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of storm

Browse Nearby Words

downers

downfall

downfalls

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Downfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfall. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of downfall

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on downfall

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nurture

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes