noun
downfall
DOWN-fawl
noun
1
A sudden loss of power, status, or success.
"Corruption charges led to the mayor's downfall."
"Pride turned out to be the CEO's downfall."
2
The specific cause of such a collapse.
"His arrogance was ultimately his downfall."
How to Use Downfall
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden collapse from success or power, or whatever caused it.
Common pairings
lead to someone's downfall
be someone's downfall
Word Forms
downfell past tense, downfallen past tense, downfalls plural, downfalls singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “downfall”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Corruption charges led to the mayor's _____.
Etymology
From down- plus fall, originally written as two words as early as the 13th century.