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downfall definition

down·fall (do̵un′fôl′)

noun

    1. a sudden fall, as from prosperity or power
    2. the cause of such a fall
  2. a sudden, heavy fall, as of snow

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

downfall Synonyms

downfall

n.

destruction, fall, comedown, ruin; see defeat 2, destruction 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

downfall Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • communism: The public downfall of Communism came as a disaster.

Possessives

  • film: However, the film's ultimate downfall is the climax, toward which the tale has been heading for some 90 minutes.

Converse of object

  • hasten: But some in the opposition say the move is more likely to inflame political rivalries than hasten the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

Adjective modifier

  • eventual: One of the reasons for their eventual downfall was their love of publicity.

Preposition: in

  • market: It is ironic that having a good accountant can actually be your downfall in the mortgages market.
downfall usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

downfall quotes

The loss of India would mark and consummate the downfall of the British Empire. That great organism would pass at a stroke out of life into history.From such a catastrophe there could be no recovery.

-Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

downfall quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"downfall." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/downfall>

APA Style

downfall. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/downfall

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