downfall
What hubris causes
Downfall is a sudden loss of power, status, or success—the collapse of someone or something that was once high.
A politician's downfall may come from scandal, a company's from mismanagement.
The word often implies that the fall was caused by a specific weakness or error: Pride was his downfall.
It can also mean heavy rain or snow, though this sense is rare.
Ruinous excessive confidence
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
ambition · nemesis · vice · weakness · flaw · addiction · scandal · betrayal
Unavoidable grim fate
- fatePredetermined course of events
- destinyPredetermined course of events
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
misfortune · pathos · nemesis · reversal · tragic · Icarus · Macbeth · Oedipus
Complete destruction or collapse
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- collapseSudden structural failure
- crumbleFragment gradually
- toppleCause to fall
disintegration · implosion · demolition · undoing · unraveling · dismantling · breakdown · plummet
Complete destruction or collapse
- disgraceLoss of honor
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- infamyExtreme public disgrace
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
destitution · exile · imprisonment · obscurity · poverty · humiliation · ignominy · scandal
Process of declining quality
- degradationDecline in condition
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
erosion · slipping · fading · waning · diminishing · ebbing · sinking · spiraling
Forcible removal from power
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
- vanquishmentAct of defeating thoroughly
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
- subjugationForcing into submission
capitulation · surrender · checkmate · humiliation · trouncing · crushing · subduing · overpowering
hubris
Ruinous excessive confidence
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
pride · ambition · nemesis · vice · weakness · flaw · addiction · scandal · betrayal · recklessness
doom
Unavoidable grim fate
- fatePredetermined course of events
- destinyPredetermined course of events
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
calamity · misfortune · pathos · nemesis · reversal · tragic · Icarus · Macbeth · Oedipus · cautionary
ruin
Complete destruction or collapse
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- collapseSudden structural failure
- crumbleFragment gradually
topple · disintegration · implosion · demolition · undoing · unraveling · dismantling · breakdown · plummet · crash
ruin
Complete destruction or collapse
bankruptcy · destitution · exile · imprisonment · obscurity · poverty · humiliation · ignominy · scandal · notoriety
deterioration
Process of declining quality
- degradationDecline in condition
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- decayGradual organic breakdown
degeneration · erosion · slipping · fading · waning · diminishing · ebbing · sinking · spiraling · unraveling
overthrow
Forcible removal from power
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
- vanquishmentAct of defeating thoroughly
- routOverwhelming one-sided victory
subjugation · capitulation · surrender · checkmate · humiliation · trouncing · crushing · subduing · overpowering · dethroning
- doomdoomsday, impending doom, doom and gloom, doomed, sense of doom
- Julius CaesarJulius Caesar, Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Marc Antony
- compound wordsbookmark, breakdown, sunlight, breakup, snowflake
- dramaTV drama, acting, television drama, drama school, playwright
- characterizationprotagonist, trait, antagonist, hero, villain
- declinesdrop, decline, downtrend, downslide, decrease
downfallrise
Move to higher position
ascent · ascension · upswing · advancement · comeback
downfallsuccess
Favorable outcome attained
triumph · flourishing · prime · heyday · zenith
downfallsalvation
Deliverance from harm
redemption · making · vindication · crowning achievement · apotheosis