DOWNFALL
Dictionary entry overview: What does downfall mean?
• DOWNFALL (noun)
The noun DOWNFALL has 3 senses:
1. failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
2. the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)
3. a sudden decline in strength or number or importance
Familiarity information: DOWNFALL used as a noun is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• DOWNFALL (noun)
Meaning:
Failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
downfall; ruination; ruin
Hypernyms ("downfall" is a kind of...):
failure (an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "downfall"):
finish (the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict))
Meaning:
The falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Synonyms:
downfall; precipitation
Hypernyms ("downfall" is a kind of...):
atmospheric condition; weather; weather condition (the meteorological conditions: temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation)
Meronyms (parts of "downfall"):
diamond dust; frost mist; frost snow; ice crystal; ice needle; poudrin; snow mist (small crystals of ice)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "downfall"):
fine spray (precipitation in very small drops)
hail (precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents)
rain; rainfall (water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere)
sleet (partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow))
snow; snowfall (precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals)
virga (light wispy precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the ground (especially when the lower air is low in humidity))
Meaning:
A sudden decline in strength or number or importance
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
downfall; fall
Context example:
the fall of the House of Hapsburg
Hypernyms ("downfall" is a kind of...):
weakening (becoming weaker)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "downfall"):
anticlimax (a disappointing decline after a previous rise)
