fall
1 of 3verb
ˈfȯl 
fell ˈfel ; fallen ˈfȯ-lən ; falling
; fallen ˈfȯ-lən ; falling intransitive verb
1
a
: to descend freely by the force of gravity
An apple fell from the tree.
b
: to hang freely
her hair falls over her shoulders
c
: to drop oneself to a lower position
fell to his knees
d
: to come or go as if by falling
darkness falls early in the winter
2
: to become born —usually used of lambs
3
a
: to become lower in degree or level
the temperature fell 10°
b
: to drop in pitch or volume
their voices fell to a whisper
c
: issue sense 1a
wisdom that fell from his lips
d
: to become lowered
her eyes fell
4
a
: to leave an erect position suddenly and involuntarily
slipped and fell on the ice
b
: to enter as if unawares : stumble, stray
fell into error
We fell into a trap.
c
: to drop down wounded or dead
especially : to die in battle
Many men fell on the battlefield.
d
: to suffer military capture
after a long siege the city fell
e
: to lose office
the party fell from power
f
: to suffer ruin, defeat, or failure
the deal fell through
5
: to commit an immoral act
but man willfully misused his God-given freedom and fell into sin—
John Hick
John Hick especially : to lose one's chastity
6
a
: to move or extend in a downward direction
the land falls away to the east
b
: subside, abate
the wind is falling
c
: to decline in quality, activity, or quantity
production fell off
d
: to lose weight —used with off or away
The cattle have fallen off badly in the drought.
e
: to assume a look of shame, disappointment, or dejection
his face fell
f
: to decline in financial value or price
stocks fell sharply
7
a
: to occur at a certain time
her birthday falls on a Monday this year
b
: to come by chance
a job that fell into his hands
c
: to come or pass by lot, assignment, or inheritance : devolve
it fell to him to break the news
d
: to have a certain or proper position, place, or station
the accent falls on the second syllable
8
: to come within the limits, scope, or jurisdiction of something
this word falls into the class of verbs
9
: to pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind or a new state or condition
fall asleep
fall in love
10
: to set about heartily or actively
fell to work
11
: strike, impinge
music falling on the ear
transitive verb
: fell sense 1
fall
2 of 3noun
1
: the act of falling by the force of gravity
2
a
: a falling out, off, or away : dropping
the fall of leaves
a fall of snow
b
: the season when leaves fall from trees : autumn
c
: a thing or quantity that falls or has fallen
a fall of rock at the base of the cliff
especially : one or more meteorites or their fragments that have fallen together
d(1)
: birth
(2)
: the quantity born —usually used of lambs
3
a
: a costume decoration of lace or thin fabric arranged to hang loosely and gracefully
b
: a very wide turned-down collar worn in the 17th century
c
: the part of a turnover collar from the crease to the outer edge
d
: a wide front flap on trousers (such as those worn by sailors)
e
: the freely hanging lower edge of the skirt of a coat
f
: one of the three outer and often drooping segments of the flower of an iris compare standard sense 8b
g
: long hair overhanging the face of dogs of some breeds
h
: a usually long straight portion of hair that is attached to a person's own hair
4
: a hoisting-tackle rope or chain
especially : the part of it to which the power is applied
5
a
: loss of greatness : collapse
the fall of the Roman Empire
b
: the surrender or capture of a besieged place
the fall of Troy
c
: lapse or departure from innocence or goodness
d
: loss of a woman's chastity
e
: the blame for a failure or misdeed
took the fall for the robbery
6
a
: the downward slope (as of a hill) : declivity
b
: a precipitous descent of water : waterfall —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
c
: a musical cadence
d
: a falling-pitch intonation in speech
7
: a decrease in size, quantity, degree, or value
8
a
: the distance which something falls
b
: inclination, pitch
9
a
: the act of felling something
b
: the quantity of trees cut down
c(1)
: an act of forcing a wrestler's shoulders to the mat for a specified time (such as one second)
(2)
: a bout of wrestling
10
Scotland : destiny, lot
fall
3 of 3adjective
: of, relating to, or suitable for autumn
a new fall coat
Synonyms
Verb
- slip
- stumble
- topple
- trip
- tumble
Noun
- slip
- spill
- stumble
- tumble
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb An apple fell from the tree. A vase fell off the shelf. Rain fell from the sky. the sound of the falling rain She slipped and fell on the ice. He fell flat on his face. She was afraid that I would trip and fall. He fell down the stairs. One of the sailors had fallen overboard. He fell back onto the bed. Noun a fall from a horse She's had several bad falls in recent years. a fall of three feet the rise and fall of the tide She went off to college in the fall. Several weeks of fall remain before winter begins. When fall came he planted grass. a fall in the price of oil See More
Recent Examples on the WebLawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023 The return on investment in the account can be modest and may sometimes fall below inflation rates in the country. —Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023 Dillingham said the team will be returning to Camp Tontozona for the traditional four-day training leading up to fall camp. —Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Feb. 2023 Your pre-fall collection set a house record, being 94 percent sustainable. —Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Feb. 2023 Many smartwatches offer fall risk assessment and detection, monitor vital signs and track specific health trends. —Liz Seegert, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2023 With its bright orange color, the Marigold is the perfect companion to fall pumpkins as the representatives for October. —Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 2 Feb. 2023 And according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 7 million of these people could still be eligible but will fall through the cracks of the renewal process and lose their health insurance. —Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2023 Supporters argue that poker is a game of skill and doesn’t fall under explicit gambling. —Dallas News, 25 Jan. 2023 Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2023 The designer’s fall 2023 presentation earlier today was no exception. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2023 Julia Stiles, Quinta Brunson and Lindsay Lohan slay the front row at Christian Siriano's fall/winter 2023 NYFW Show at Gotham Hall on Feb. 9. —People Staff, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2023 Actor Malcolm Ruark would be quietly brooding over his fall from grace as a local news anchor, his co-star Claudette Bradley fretting about the deteriorating mental health of her father. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023 Our roundup of delicious apple cake recipes features a variety of all sorts of sizes and flavors of the beloved seasonal fall fruit. —Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2023 Lastly: There was a period last fall when your fans were very worried about you. —Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 Feb. 2023 The island countries enjoy noshing on these dense treats on Easter, which occurs during their meteorological fall. —Olivia Muenter, Woman's Day, 14 Feb. 2023 The result is an insanely soft fabric that's warm and cozy, perfect for fall and winter weather. —John Thompson, Men's Health, 14 Feb. 2023 Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2023 Although playground surfaces have been investigated for fall impact attenuation, the surfaces that cheerleaders use have received little attention. —Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2010 The band is gearing up for a fall European tour, followed by a long tour of the United States, including the group’s annual three-day GroundUP Music Festival in Miami Beach, named after the band’s record label. —Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022 While silhouette options are many, the full-legged pantsuit leads the pre-fall pack, and short suits (for men and women) are a close second. —Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2023 Last week, Chanel staged its new pre-fall 2023 show in Dakar, Senegal. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2022 Olsen is supporting the project on a fall European tour, beginning next week in Lisbon. —Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 20 Sep. 2022 Olsen is supporting the project on a fall European tour, beginning Sept. 26-27 in Lisbon. —Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 13 Sep. 2022 Case in point: its pre-fall event, which is stacked with seasonal must-haves like sweater vests and long dresses. —Talia Abbas, Glamour, 6 Sep. 2022 See More
Verb
Newcomers to Austin fall prey to this nostalgia almost instantly—and, with a longtime resident like me, the symptoms can become comically acute. —Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023 The return on investment in the account can be modest and may sometimes fall below inflation rates in the country. —Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023 Dillingham said the team will be returning to Camp Tontozona for the traditional four-day training leading up to fall camp. —Michelle Gardner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Feb. 2023 Your pre-fall collection set a house record, being 94 percent sustainable. —Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Feb. 2023 Many smartwatches offer fall risk assessment and detection, monitor vital signs and track specific health trends. —Liz Seegert, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2023 With its bright orange color, the Marigold is the perfect companion to fall pumpkins as the representatives for October. —Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 2 Feb. 2023 And according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 7 million of these people could still be eligible but will fall through the cracks of the renewal process and lose their health insurance. —Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2023 Supporters argue that poker is a game of skill and doesn’t fall under explicit gambling. —Dallas News, 25 Jan. 2023 Noun
Even though the government's supply of COVID-19 vaccines is likely to run out this summer or fall, people without insurance will continue to have access, companies that make the shots say. —Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2023 The designer’s fall 2023 presentation earlier today was no exception. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2023 Julia Stiles, Quinta Brunson and Lindsay Lohan slay the front row at Christian Siriano's fall/winter 2023 NYFW Show at Gotham Hall on Feb. 9. —People Staff, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2023 Actor Malcolm Ruark would be quietly brooding over his fall from grace as a local news anchor, his co-star Claudette Bradley fretting about the deteriorating mental health of her father. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023 Our roundup of delicious apple cake recipes features a variety of all sorts of sizes and flavors of the beloved seasonal fall fruit. —Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2023 Lastly: There was a period last fall when your fans were very worried about you. —Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 Feb. 2023 The island countries enjoy noshing on these dense treats on Easter, which occurs during their meteorological fall. —Olivia Muenter, Woman's Day, 14 Feb. 2023 The result is an insanely soft fabric that's warm and cozy, perfect for fall and winter weather. —John Thompson, Men's Health, 14 Feb. 2023 Adjective
Quantumania Los Angeles premiere in a trailing cheetah-print Caroline Herrera strapless gown (pulled straight off the pre-fall runway!) and black heels with asymmetrical straps. —Zizi Strater, Peoplemag, 7 Feb. 2023 Although playground surfaces have been investigated for fall impact attenuation, the surfaces that cheerleaders use have received little attention. —Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2010 The band is gearing up for a fall European tour, followed by a long tour of the United States, including the group’s annual three-day GroundUP Music Festival in Miami Beach, named after the band’s record label. —Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022 While silhouette options are many, the full-legged pantsuit leads the pre-fall pack, and short suits (for men and women) are a close second. —Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2023 Last week, Chanel staged its new pre-fall 2023 show in Dakar, Senegal. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2022 Olsen is supporting the project on a fall European tour, beginning next week in Lisbon. —Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 20 Sep. 2022 Olsen is supporting the project on a fall European tour, beginning Sept. 26-27 in Lisbon. —Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 13 Sep. 2022 Case in point: its pre-fall event, which is stacked with seasonal must-haves like sweater vests and long dresses. —Talia Abbas, Glamour, 6 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb, Noun, and Adjective
Middle English, from Old English feallan; akin to Old High German fallan to fall and perhaps to Lithuanian pulti
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1677, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing fall
Kids Definition
fall
1 of 2 verb ˈfȯl
fell ˈfel ; fallen ˈfȯ-lən ; falling
; fallen ˈfȯ-lən ; falling 1
a
: to come or go down freely by the force of gravity
b
: to hang freely
hair falling over her shoulders
c
: to drop oneself to a lower position
fell to their knees
d
: to come as if by dropping down
night fell
2
a
: to become of lower degree or level
the temperature fell 10°
b
: to become lowered
his eyes fell
3
a
: to topple from an upright position suddenly
slipped and fell on the ice
b
: to enter blindly : stray
fell into a trap
c
: to drop down wounded or dead
soldiers who have fallen in battle
d
: to become captured or defeated
the fortress fell
e
: to experience ruin or failure
our plans fell through
4
: to fail to live up to a standard of conduct
5
a
: to move or extend downward
the ground falls away to the east
b
: to become less in amount or degree : diminish
the tide is falling
c
: to become less in quality, activity, quantity, or value
prices fell
d
: to take on a look of shame or low spirits
my face fell when I lost
6
a
: to occur at a certain time
my birthday falls on a Tuesday
b
: to come by chance
c
: to pass (as a responsibility) from one person to another
it fell to us to break the news
d
: to have the proper place or station
the accent falls on the second syllable
7
: to come within the range of something
falls under her responsibilities
8
: to pass from one condition of body or mind to another
fall ill
fall asleep
9
: to set about with enthusiasm or activity
fell to work
fall
2 of 2 noun1
: the act of falling by the force of gravity
a fall from a horse
2
a
: a falling out, off, or away
the fall of the leaves
b
: autumn sense 1
c
: a thing or quantity that falls or has fallen
a heavy fall of snow
3
a
: loss of greatness : collapse
b
: the surrender or capture of a place under attack
c
: departure from innocence or goodness
4
a
: the downward slope of a hill
b
: waterfall —usually used in plural
5
: a decrease in size, quantity, degree, activity, or value
6
: the distance which something falls
7
: an act of forcing a wrestler's shoulders to the mat
fallen 1 of 2
adjective
as in dead
no longer living let's take a moment to remember our fallen comrades Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dead
- deceased
- gone
- asleep
- low
- dying
- departed
- defunct
- extinct
- late
- lifeless
- demised
- cold
- bitten the dust
- fading
- breathless
- lapsed
- moribund
- finished
- terminated
- stillborn
- inanimate
- insensate
- nonliving
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- alive
- live
- living
- breathing
- going
- quick
- active
- vital
- dynamic
- animate
- functioning
- animated
- thriving
- operative
- vibrant
- lively
- running
- vivacious
fallen
2 of 2verb
1
as in stumbled
to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily better sand that walkway before somebody falls on the ice Synonyms & Similar Words
- stumbled
- slipped
- tripped
- toppled
- tumbled
- dropped
- crashed
- collapsed
- slid
- plummeted
- plunged
- crumpled
- skidded
- plopped
- wiped out
- plunked
- keeled
- flumped
- precipitated
- plonked
- nose-dived
- free-fell
- slumped (over)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- risen
- stood (up)
- uprisen
- gotten up
- got up
2
as in collapsed
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces the city fell after weeks of merciless bombardment Synonyms & Similar Words
- collapsed
- capitulated
- surrendered
- succumbed
- submitted
- given up
- knuckled under
- bowed
- lost
- relinquished
- buckled
- given (in)
- folded
- handed over
- failed
- conceded
- caved (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stood
- fought
- endured
- opposed
- resisted
- overcome
- beaten
- won
- beat
- defied
- conquered
- bucked
- prevailed
- withstood
- repelled
- triumphed
3
as in plunged
to go to a lower level especially abruptly word soon got out that the movie was no good, and box-office receipts fell like a rock Synonyms & Similar Words
- plunged
- dipped
- dropped
- tumbled
- crashed
- declined
- plummeted
- sunk
- descended
- lowered
- dove
- skidded
- dived
- cratered
- decreased
- diminished
- subsided
- nose-dived
- drooped
- retreated
- dwindled
- waned
- ebbed
- lessened
- tapered off
- abated
- receded
- let up
- moderated
- died (down)
- de-escalated
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- risen
- lifted
- ascended
- soared
- mounted
- arisen
- spiked
- increased
- grown
- built
- upped
- accumulated
- expanded
- swelled
- swollen
- intensified
- mushroomed
- escalated
- enlarged
- ballooned
- waxed
- burgeoned
- snowballed
- picked up
- bourgeoned
4
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually manufacturing in the area is falling, and closing signs are going up all over Synonyms & Similar Words
- decreased
- declined
- vanished
- diminished
- shrunk
- collapsed
- fallen away
- weakened
- dwindled
- receded
- subsided
- waned
- ebbed
- lowered
- tapered
- tapered off
- lessened
- shrunken
- palled
- phased down
- eased
- remitted
- abated
- relented
- dropped (off)
- let up
- moderated
- drained (away)
- evaporated
- sunk
- racheted (down)
- ratcheted (down)
- contracted
- compressed
- died (away or down or out)
- slackened
- given out
- de-escalated
- condensed
- alleviated
- constricted
- faded (away)
- flagged
- melted (away)
- relaxed
- deflated
- slowed (down)
- frittered (away)
- petered (out)
- tailed (off)
- caved (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- risen
- increased
- grown
- built
- soared
- accumulated
- mounted
- expanded
- swelled
- swollen
- intensified
- mushroomed
- escalated
- enlarged
- ballooned
- waxed
- appeared
- emerged
- burgeoned
- snowballed
- bourgeoned
- picked up
- lengthened
- blown up
- elongated
- distended
- showed up
- shown up
5
as in sunk
to lead or extend downward the lake bottom falls sharply just a few feet from the shoreline, so be careful Synonyms & Similar Words
- sunk
- descended
- dropped
- plunged
- tilted
- dipped
- leaned
- sloped
- declined
- tipped
- inclined
- angled
- listed
- heeled
- slanted
- cocked
- reclined
- canted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- risen
- climbed
- ascended
- mounted
- arisen
- upturned
- flattened
- straightened
- uprisen
- levelled
- smoothed
- leveled
- upswept
- planed
- evened
6
as in lost
to undergo defeat not surprisingly, the novice player fell to a much stronger opponent Synonyms & Similar Words
- lost
- faltered
- bowed out
- thrown
- taken the count
- collapsed
- failed
- tanked
- forfeited
- missed
- flopped
- struck out
- folded
- foundered
- washed out
- bombed
- stricken out
- flunked
- cracked (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conquered
- prevailed
- triumphed
- won
- flourished
- succeeded
- thrived
- prospered
- thriven
7
as in wandered
to commit an offense even saints can fall Synonyms & Similar Words
- wandered
- sinned
- strayed
- offended
- broken
- transgressed
- violated
- erred
- trespassed
- fallen from grace
- breached
- lapsed
- broken the law
- backslid
- infringed
- messed up
- backslidden
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- justified
- forgiven
- pardoned
- regretted
- repented
- rued
8
as in died
to stop living if their brave leader falls, the men will lose their courage Synonyms & Similar Words
- died
- disappeared
- departed
- perished
- deceased
- gone
- expired
- ended
- dropped
- succumbed
- passed away
- popped off
- exited
- demised
- checked out
- kicked off
- stepped out
- flatlined
- parted
- bought it
- kicked in
- failed
- croaked
- snuffed it
- pegged out
- given up the ghost
- conked (out)
- faded
- passed (on)
- bitten the dust
- kicked the bucket
- bought the farm
- consumed
- dried up
- predeceased
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- revived
- lived
- breathed
- been
- lingered
- existed
- subsisted
- come to
- flourished
- thrived
- prospered
- thriven