downfalls

noun

plural of downfall
1
as in ruins
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life an insatiable love of money would be their downfall

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2
as in deteriorations
a change to a lower state or level the gradual downfall of the Roman Empire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demises
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
4
as in rains
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 downfalls The Bills defense, one of the downfalls, did get the stop needed in this one and held off a late scoring drive. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 Rodriguez doesn’t seem too concerned about the potential of any downfalls in communicating calls on the field. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026 Thematic methodologies have been one of the downfalls of contemporary museology (and art history) generally, a crisis of collective memory and the historical imagination overall. — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 But the Explorer’s acceleration is loud, prompting one of the vehicle’s few engine downfalls. — James Raia, Mercury News, 5 July 2026 What appears to be a series of dramatic personal downfalls is in fact part of a broader pattern shaped by the country’s political system. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026 Lushly photographed and boosted by a few killer tracks, Daisy Jones & the Six delivers the lurid delights and downfalls of a satisfying behind-the-music tale. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026 Now, as crypto analysts speculate whether further downfalls are in Bitcoin’s future, crypto bros are struggling to maintain a cohesive narrative in the face of such epic volatility. — Joe Wilkins Published Jan 29, Futurism, 29 Jan. 2026 One of the Miami Hurricanes’ biggest downfalls last season was their lack of cornerback depth, and how quickly that was exposed as soon as injuries hit. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downfalls
  1. ruins
  2. deteriorations
  3. demises
  4. rains
  5. deaths
  6. degradations
  7. setbacks
  8. storms
Noun
  • Gaza was reduced to ruins, and its people were trapped in a cycle of loss and suffering, as the conflict continued to rage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This chapter is accompanied by somewhat twee images of an owl doll, a bottle of designer perfume, a high heel, and a golden microphone positioned against various ancient Greek ruins, including the Parthenon and the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruins
Noun
  • Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of deteriorations
Noun
  • SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight company Musk founded in 2002, has endured a few more fiery demises of the mammoth Starship rocket since that explosive debut.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 May 2026
  • No reason was provided for the shops’ demises.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 26 Nov. 2025
Definition of demises
Noun
  • The Mexican navy urged the maritime community and coastal residents to exercise extreme caution due to high waves, heavy rains and the risk of rising river levels, flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of rains
Noun
  • Janabi said one of the biggest challenges has been persuading those who are infected to seek medical assistance, adding that some deaths occur in the community outside of health centers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In Minnesota, none of the federal agents involved in the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been criminally charged, but a string of civil lawsuits is beginning to emerge.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of deaths
Noun
  • Key parameters such as time to recover (TTR), revenue at risk, lead times, OTIF and service-level degradations can be evaluated and compared across mitigation options.
    — Dileep Rai, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The answer is not much—Fennell makes explicit, via sadomasochism, the power differentials and emotional degradations that are so often ambiguous in the original.
    — Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of degradations
Noun
  • Through schoolyard rivalries, neighborhood hustles, and family setbacks, Kev turns every disaster into a story.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Despite undergoing a blood transfusion, which briefly provided a glimpse of hope, Jackie continued to suffer setbacks in her recovery due to the sickness, which remained a mystery until Wednesday's announcement by California wildlife officials.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of setbacks
Noun
  • That means that our understanding of their makeup, their storms, and their evolution really only comes from theory.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities in Colima said the risks remained low but warned that heavy rainfall could cause damage because successive storms had already saturated the ground along the Pacific coast.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of storms

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Cite this Entry

“Downfalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downfalls. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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