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⇱ DOWNFALL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • downfallen adjective

Etymology

Origin of downfall

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

After the airstrikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian-Canadian Salar Gholami went to a rally in a Toronto suburb to celebrate the downfall of a leader he fiercely opposed.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Still, the post-Oscar slump exists nonetheless, fueled by a world that enjoys building people up before laughing at their downfall.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

Following Mugabe's downfall, it represented the country's foreign affairs and international trade ministry for several years to improve US relations.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Whilst they plotted Washington’s downfall, I dozed in a chair in the hallway in case they needed victuals or a bottle of port.

From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.