0 (something that causes) the usually sudden destruction of a person, organization, or government and their loss of power, money, or health:
Rampant corruption brought about the downfall of the government.
In the end, it was the continual drinking that was his downfall.
1 something that causes the destruction of a person, organization, or government and that causes a loss of power, money, or health:
In the end, ambition was his downfall.
More often than not, such internal competition leads to the downfall of the organization as allegiances are split and kin unity lost.
The downfall of the chiefs was followed by loss of prestige among their underlings, the village headmen.
In other words, the pressure of disease has not led to the downfall of perennials.
Any attempt at that may only lead to political downfall.
This political direction, and the sti-ing of wider debate through the limited publication, was the downfall of the plan.
On the contrary, their petty jealousies and frictions, their incompetence and, eventually, their cowardice greatly contributed to its humiliating downfall.
In business, transactions entail substantial risk-taking under uncertainty, which could lead to unbearable losses; in politics, they could lead to political downfalls.
And the darkened tones around it foretell that her lover's downfall will be linked to how he treats this symbolic beast.
