1
the downfall of [someone/something]
常指权力或地位的丧失。
The downfall of the empire was swift.
帝国的衰败来得很快。
衰败；垮台
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
衰败；垮台
a failure that causes someone to lose their position or reputation
The downfall of the empire was swift.
帝国的衰败来得很快。
命运的急剧下降；地位或财富的快速恶化或死亡
A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.
垮台；衰落
failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
导致这种下降的原因；关键打击或错误
The cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.
水的降落(雨、雪、冰雹、雨夹雪或雾)
the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)
His greed led to his downfall.
他的贪婪导致了他的垮台。
The team's poor communication proved to be their downfall.
团队沟通不畅最终成了他们的败因。
She watched her competitor's downfall with a mix of pity and relief.
她带着同情和释然交织的心情看着竞争对手的垮台。
常指权力或地位的丧失。
The downfall of the empire was swift.
帝国的衰败来得很快。
表示导致某人失败的原因。
Greed was his downfall.
贪婪是他的衰败之源。
指大雨或大雪。
We had a heavy downfall last night.
昨晚我们遭遇了一场大雨。
Not this
The scandal downfalled the government.
Use this
The scandal caused the downfall of the government.
downfall 是名词，不能用作动词。应使用 'cause the downfall of' 或 'lead to the downfall of'。
Not this
He was responsible for the downfall to the company.
Use this
He was responsible for the downfall of the company.
表示 '...的衰败' 时，应使用介词 'of'，而非 'to'。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
导致某人垮台
His arrogance led to his downfall.
他的傲慢导致了他垮台。
导致某事物的垮台
The scandal spelled the downfall of the government.
这起丑闻导致了政府的垮台。
促成某人的垮台
Poor financial decisions contributed to her downfall.
糟糕的财务决策促成了她的垮台。
目睹某人的垮台
The world witnessed the downfall of the emperor.
全世界目睹了这位皇帝的垮台。
致使某人垮台
The rebellion brought about the downfall of the king.
叛乱导致了国王的垮台。
暴君的垮台
People celebrated the downfall of the tyrant.
人们庆祝暴君的垮台。
成为自己垮台的祸首；自毁前程
By refusing to accept advice, he was the architect of his own downfall.
由于拒绝接受建议，他成了自己垮台的祸首。
导致……垮台；使……失败
The scandal brought about the downfall of the prime minister.
这起丑闻导致了首相的垮台。
是……毁灭的原因；毁掉……
Her love of gossip was the downfall of her career.
她爱说闲话的毛病毁掉了她的事业。
Use downfall naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把 down（向下）和 fall（跌落）连起来：想象一个权贵从高位一路下跌，彻底垮台。记住“倒下去”就是 downfall。
语域：neutral 常见场景：news reporting、historical analysis、political commentary 该词表示“衰败、垮台”时属于中性词，通常用于正式或半正式场合，如新闻、历史或政治评论中；日常口语中也会出现，但不如书面语常见。
All listed words share the same spelling ending -fall and the final pronunciation /fɔːl/, but they have primary stress on the first syllable, so they are ending matches rather than perfect rhymes with 'downfall'. Note that 'fall' sounds like /fɔːl/, not like 'fail' /feɪl/.
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.