fall

SayFAWL/fɔl/UK/fɔːl//fo(ː)l/

Verbfalls, falling, fell, fallen

Noun pluralfalls

44 meanings of fall

Practice

1
drop downverbintransitive
To move down toward the ground because of gravity.
Like a stone dropping straight down when you let it go.
If you let go, the ball will fall to the floor.
Coins fall through the hole in his pocket.
UsagePast forms: fell, fallen. Things fall off, out of, or into places.
Similardrop, descend, plummet, plunge, tumble
Oppositerise, ascend, climb
2
autumnnounUSCanadacountable or uncountable
The season after summer and before winter, when leaves drop from the trees.
We always visit the pumpkin patch in the fall.
The leaves turn red and gold every fall.
UsageSay in the fall or this fall. British people usually say autumn.
Note
3
becomeverbintransitive
To change into a new state, such as falling asleep, falling ill, or falling into debt.
The room fell silent when she walked in.
He tends to fall asleep during long movies.
UsageWe say fall asleep, fall ill, fall silent and fall in love.
Similarbecome, get, grow
Note
4
drop downverbintransitive
To drop to the ground, often after losing balance or support.
Like a stack of blocks toppling over onto the table.
The old tree finally fell during the storm.
Hold my hand so you don't fall.
UsageWe say fall down or fall over, and fall off a bike.
Similartumble, topple, drop, collapse
5
become lowerverbintransitive
To go down in amount, level, or sound.
Like a number on a scale going down.
Prices fall when too many sellers compete for buyers.
Her voice tends to fall at the end of a question.
UsagePrices fall; people lower them. Say fall by 5% or fall to $20.
Similardrop, decrease, decline, dip, sink
Oppositerise, increase, climb, soar
Note
6
verbintransitive
To be beaten, overthrown, or destroyed.
Like a tower of blocks getting knocked down.
The ancient city fell after a long siege.
Empires rise and fall over the centuries.
UsageSay a city fell to its enemy.
Similarcollapse, surrender, capitulate, succumb, crumble
Oppositestand, hold, survive, endure
Note
7
verbintransitive
To belong to a group, range, area, or control, used with words like into, under, within, or outside.
Tomatoes fall into the fruit group, even though many people call them vegetables.
Your test score falls within the normal range, so there is nothing to worry about.
UsageSay fall into a group, fall under a rule, fall within a range.
Similarcome, lie
8
act of droppingnouncountable or uncountable
The act of dropping down toward the ground.
Like the drop of a coin from your hand.
Her fall from the ladder left a bad bruise.
The vase broke into pieces after its fall from the shelf.
UsageWe say someone had a fall or a bad fall.
Similardescent, drop, plunge, tumble, spill
Oppositerise, ascent, climb
9
descend uponverbintransitive
To arrive or spread over a place as though dropping from above.
Like a dark blanket settling over everything at night.
Night falls quickly in the desert.
Shadows fall across the valley as the sun goes down.
UsageWe say night falls. Silence falls over a room.
Similardescend, settle
Oppositelift
Note
10
nouncountable or uncountable
A loss of power, fame, or high position.
Like a king losing his crown and his throne.
His fall from power shocked the whole nation.
Pride often comes before a fall.
UsageWe say a fall from power and pride comes before a fall.
Similardownfall, decline, collapse, ruin, demise
Oppositerise, ascent, ascendancy
11
nouncountable or uncountable
Something that drops or pours down from a height, such as water or snow.
Like a curtain of water pouring over the edge of a cliff.
A heavy fall of snow covered the roads overnight.
A gentle fall of snow covered the whole garden.
UsageWe say a fall of snow. The falls means a waterfall.
Similarcascade, shower, downpour
Note
12
reductionnouncountable or uncountable
A drop in amount, level, or sound.
Like a line on a chart pointing down.
There was a sharp fall in temperature overnight.
The fall in prices helped many shoppers save money.
UsageSay a fall in prices and a fall of 10%.
Similardrop, decrease, decline, dip, reduction
Oppositerise, increase, growth, surge
13
verbintransitive
To happen on a certain day or date.
Like a date landing on one square of the calendar.
My birthday falls on a Sunday this year.
The holidays fall during the coldest week of winter.
UsageSay your birthday falls on a Sunday.
Similaroccur, come, land
Note
14
pass toverbintransitive
To become someone's job, duty, or property, because it is given to them, by chance, or through family.
The hardest task fell to the youngest worker.
Great fortunes sometimes fall to those who least expect them.
UsageWe say it falls to me to do it: it is my job.
Similarpass, go (entry), devolve
Note

Less common meanings

15
bow downverbintransitive
To lower oneself to the ground on purpose, as in worship or surrender.
The pilgrims fall to their knees before the altar.
He fell prostrate before the king and begged for mercy.
UsageWe say fall to your knees.
Similardrop, sink, kneel
Oppositerise, stand
16
die (battle)verbeuphemisticformalintransitive
To die, especially while fighting in a war.
Thousands of soldiers fell during the long battle.
Many young men fall in every war.
UsageUsed on war memorials. For an ordinary death, say die.
Similardie, perish, succumb
Oppositesurvive
Note
17
turn to sinverbintransitive
To lose good character and turn to wrongdoing.
The preacher warned that even good people can fall into sin.
He fell into a life of crime after losing his job.
UsageWe say fall into sin or fall into crime.
Similarlapse, stray, sin, err, transgress
Note
18
show dismayverbintransitive
Of a person's face, to show sudden sadness or disappointment.
Like a balloon slowly going flat when the air leaks out.
Their faces fall whenever the coach announces extra drills.
His face fell the moment he heard the bad news.
Similardrop
Oppositebrighten
Note
19
verbintransitive
When someone's eyes fall on something, they stop and look at it. Usually used with on or upon.
Whenever my eyes fall on that old teddy bear, I think of my grandma.
Her eyes fell on a puppy sitting alone in the corner of the shelter.
UsageOn is the everyday choice. Upon sounds more formal.
Similarland, rest, settle, alight
Note
20
blamenouncolloquialUScountable or uncountable
Blame or punishment that someone gets for a mistake or crime.
Like being the only person punished when everyone made the mistake.
He took the fall for his boss's mistake.
Someone always has to take the fall when a plan goes wrong.
UsageWe say someone took the fall for another person.
Similarblame, rap, responsibility, punishment
Oppositecredit
Note
21
hang downverbintransitive
To hang loosely downward because of gravity.
Like a string dangling down when you hold one end.
Her hair falls past her shoulders when she lets it down.
The curtains fall in soft folds all the way to the floor.
Similarhang, drape, drop, cascade, tumble
Note
22
turn outverbintransitive
To happen or occur, especially by chance.
Like a dropped coin landing on heads or tails by chance.
In the end, everything fell out just as she had hoped.
Let's wait and see how things fall out.
UsageWe say as it fell out or see how things fall out.
Similarhappen
Note
23
wrestlingnouncountable or uncountable
In wrestling, the moment a wrestler is pinned to the mat.
Like the moment in a game when one player clearly wins the round.
The referee signaled the fall after a three-second pin.
She won the match with a quick fall in the first round.
Similarpin
Note
24
cricketnouncountable or uncountable
In cricket, the moment when a batter is out.
Like losing a turn in a game and having to step aside.
The crowd groaned at the fall of their best batter.
The fall of the fourth wicket left the home team in trouble.
Similardismissal, loss
Note
25
slip out (words)verbintransitive
Of words, to be spoken or let slip carelessly.
Like a coin slipping from your pocket without you noticing.
Careless words can fall from your lips before you notice.
Angry words fell from her mouth, and she regretted them at once.
UsageWe say words fell from her lips.
Similarslip, escape, issue, fly
Note
26
drop heightnouncountable or uncountable
The distance that something drops from top to bottom.
Like measuring how far down a slide drops from top to bottom.
The waterfall has a fall of nearly thirty feet.
From the bridge down to the water is a fall of thirty feet.
Similardrop, descent, gradient, slope
Oppositerise
27
stop byverbslangintransitive
To go visit a place or stop by somewhere.
Like dropping in on a friend without calling first.
We might fall by your place after dinner.
He fell through to say hi on his way home.
UsageUsed with words like by or through: fall by my place.
Similarcome, swing, roll, stop, drop
Note
28
hairpiecenouncountable or uncountable
A piece of long hair on a backing, worn by women for extra length or fullness, or to hide thin spots.
Like a clip-in patch of hair that hides a thin spot.
She pinned a fall into her hair before the show.
The fall blended perfectly with her natural color.
Similarhairpiece, extension
Note
29
slope downverbintransitive
Of land or a road, to go down at a slope toward a lower place.
Like a leaf coming down from a tree to the ground.
After the bridge, the road starts to fall toward the beach.
Behind our town, the green hills fall to the sea.
Similardrop, tumble, descend, plunge
Oppositerise, climb, ascend
30
nounchristianitythe fall, capitalized
In Christian belief, the start of human sin, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were sent out of Eden.
Our pastor talked about the Fall and what it means for people today.
In the painting, Adam and Eve hide in shame right after the Fall.
UsageIt is often called the Fall of Man.
Note
31
noun
On a piano, the cover that folds down over the keys.
32
noun
On a pulley system, the part of the rope you pull to lift something.
33
verbobsolete
To let something drop down.
For every tear he falls, a Trojan bleeds.
1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto)
34
verbobsolete
To make something go down.
35
verbarchaic
To chop down a tree.
36
verbobsolete
To make something smaller or lower.
Upon lessening interest to four per cent, you fall the price of your native commodities.
1691, [John Locke], Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest
37
verbobsolete
To give birth to young animals.
38
verbobsolete
Of some baby animals, to be born.
My intended remarks are on the cords , and wiping dry the newly fallen calf
1805, John Lawrence, A general treatise on cattle
39
verb
To start something quickly and with energy.
40
noun
In curling, a bad spot in the ice that makes stones slide to one side.
41
noun
An old Scottish measure of length, about 5.6 meters (18.5 feet).
42
noun
A short piece of leather near the end of a whip.
43
interjection
A shout when people see or spear a whale.
44
noun
Chasing a whale during a hunt.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of fall apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

The verb comes from Old English "feallan" (to fall). The noun also comes from Old English words for "a falling" and "a trap." The meaning "autumn" started in the 1500s in England, short for "fall of the leaf," because leaves fall then.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

The verb derives from Old English feallan, meaning 'to fall'. en.wiktionary.org
The noun derives from Old English words meaning 'a falling' and 'a trap'. en.wiktionary.org
The autumn sense originated in England in the 1500s. en.wikipedia.org
The autumn sense shortens 'fall of the leaf' and refers to leaves falling during that season. en.wiktionary.org