downfall

What it means

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

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

   1 more example

   The Black Cats contributed to their own downfall for the only goal when Titus Bramble, making his first appearance since Boxing Day, and Michael Turner, let Phil Jones' cross bounce across the six-yard box as [Wayne] Rooney tucked in at the back post.

   2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0 – 1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 09 May 2019

   Synonyms: fall, doom

2. countableuncountableThe cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.

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

3. countableuncountableAn act of falling down.

   a downfall of rain

   1 more example

   [T]he prominent character of leading young lady or heroine, which Paula was to personate, was really the most satisfactory in the whole list for her. For although she was to be wooed hard, there was just as much love-making among the remaining personages; while, as Somerset had understood the play, there could occur no flingings of her person upon her lover's neck, or agonized downfalls upon the stage, in her whole performance, [...]

   1880–1881, Thomas Hardy, chapter VII, in A Laodicean; or, The Castle of the De Stancys. A Story of To-day. […], volume II, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, […], published 1881, →OCLC, book the third (De Stancy), page 147

In a sentence

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

Where it comes from

From down- + fall. In this spelling, from 16th century; spelled as two words from 13th century.