downfall

/ˈdaʊnfɔːl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdaʊnfɔːl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdau̇n-ˌfȯl/ (ame, mw)

downfall — noun

1. the sudden loss or destruction of a person's success, power, or position, or the

1.名詞B2
釋義

the sudden loss or destruction of a person's success, power, or position, or the thing that directly causes this

例句

Mei's refusal to invest in new technology led to her company's downfall.

led to + possessive + downfall

Greed was the politician Kwame's downfall when voters discovered his secret deals.

be + possessive + downfall

同義詞
  • ruin

    emphasizes complete destruction, often financial

  • collapse

    suggests a sudden structural failure, often of a system or organization

  • demise

    more formal, can refer to the end of a business or career

  • undoing

    specifically the cause that leads to the downfall

反義詞

文法句型

the downfall of + noun

possessive + downfall

be the downfall of + noun

用法筆記

This noun usually appears in the singular. It describes the end of success or power but is not used for physical objects falling down, except in dated literary English.

常見錯誤

❌The heavy rain caused the downfall of the old tree.
✅The heavy rain caused the old tree to fall.
💡downfall is not used for physical objects falling in modern English.
❌He was sad about his downfall from the ladder.
✅He fell off the ladder.
💡downfall specifically means loss of power, success, or position, not a physical fall.