English · Word Candidate

downfall

/ˈdaʊnfɔːl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: downfalls · downfalling · downfell · downfallen

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.

Noun

Examples

Many economic and political reasons led to the downfall of the Roman Empire.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.

Noun

Examples

Orson Scott Card It is the downfall of evil, that it never sees far enough ahead.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To fall down; deteriorate; decline.

Verb

Examples

[...] wants to make civilization his subject, he will have a hard time proceeding with the sentence unless collapse is in his active vocabulary, for he cannot say "our civilization will downfall" or "fall down."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “downfall” mean?

A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.

Is “downfall” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.