different between downfall vs failure

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?da?nf??l/

Noun

downfall (countable and uncountable, plural downfalls)

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

   Synonyms: (precipitous decline in fortune) fall, (death or rapid deterioration) doom
2. The 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. An act of falling down.

Derived terms

• Operation Downfall

Translations

Verb

downfall (third-person singular simple present downfalls, present participle downfalling, simple past downfell, past participle downfallen)

1. (intransitive) To fall down; deteriorate; decline.
   • 1998, Peter Vink, Ernst A. P. Koningsveld, Steven Dhondt, Human factors in organizational design and management-VI:

     Common belief has been that in the future the number of middle managers will downfall due to empowerment and team-building.

   • 1998, Lithuanian physics journal:

     It should be noted that the magnitude of satellites decreases when tuning out of degeneracy, and in the wavelength range of 1.2-1.3 pm it downfalls to the value of 10-15% of the main spike magnitude.

Derived terms

• down-fallen, downfallen

Anagrams

• Wolfland, fall down, landfowl

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman failer, from Old French faillir (“to fail”).

Pronunciation

• (Canada, General American) IPA^(key): /?fe?l.j?/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?fe?l.j?/

Noun

failure (countable and uncountable, plural failures)

1. State or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, opposite of success.
2. An object, person or endeavour in a state of failure or incapable of success.
3. Termination of the ability of an item to perform its required function; breakdown.
4. Bankruptcy.

Synonyms

• (person incapable of success): loser

Antonyms

• (state or condition): success, triumph

Derived terms

• ground failure
• power failure

Related terms

• fail

Translations