fall
gb/fˈɔl/ us/fˈɔl/
A1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
event
1
Drop or descend suddenly
To go down from a higher place without control.
Usage pattern:
to fall [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fall' with 'drop'; 'fall' happens by itself, while 'drop' is usually caused by someone or something.
Synonyms
drop (Often implies letting go or something being released rather than losing balance.)
Antonyms
rise (Means to move upward instead of downward.)
Collocations
fall down
|fall over
|fall off
|fall into
|fall from
Themes
daily life
|movement
|safety
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She slipped on the ice and fell hard.
- The leaves fall from the trees in autumn.
- He fell into the pool by accident.
- The glass fell off the table.
- Snowflakes fell gently to the ground.
Learner examples
- The boy fell off his bike.
- I fell on the wet floor.
- Leaves fall in autumn.
- She fell into the water.
- The ball fell under the chair.
Noun
A1
entity
2
Autumn season
The time of year between summer and winter, also called autumn.
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'fall' for the season is only American English; it's standard in North America but understood elsewhere.
Synonyms
autumn (More common in British English; both mean the same season.)
Antonyms
spring (The season opposite to fall in the yearly cycle.)
Collocations
in fall
|this fall
|fall weather
|fall colors
Themes
seasons
|weather
|nature
|time
Examples
- We met in the fall of 2010.
- Fall is my favorite time of year.
- The trees look beautiful in fall.
- School starts in early fall.
- Temperatures drop in the fall.
Learner examples
- Fall is after summer.
- I like fall because it is cool.
- Leaves turn red in fall.
- School begins in fall.
- Fall is also called autumn.
Verb
A1
event
3
Lose balance and collapse
To go down onto the ground because you cannot stay up.
Usage pattern:
to fall to [the ground/floor]
Synonyms
collapse (Implies sudden loss of strength or structure, sometimes due to illness or fatigue.)
Antonyms
stand (Means to be upright instead of lying down.)
Collocations
fall over
|fall down hard
|fall flat
Themes
daily life
|health
|movement
|daily_life
Examples
- He tripped on the rug and fell to the floor.
- The old man fell when he missed a step.
- She felt dizzy and fell over.
- The child fell down while running.
- He fell flat on his face.
Learner examples
- I fell on the ground.
- The baby fell when he tried to walk.
- She fell down in the street.
- He fell over the chair.
- My friend fell at school.
Verb
A2
action
4
Decrease in amount or level
To get smaller in number, amount, price, or level.
Usage pattern:
to fall to [a number/level]
Synonyms
decline (Often used in formal contexts; can also imply gradual change.)
Antonyms
rise (Means to increase instead of decrease.)
Collocations
fall sharply
|fall steadily
|prices fall
|temperatures fall
Themes
economics
|weather
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Stock prices fell by 10% yesterday.
- Temperatures will fall overnight.
- Sales have fallen steadily this year.
- The water level fell after the dry season.
- Interest rates are expected to fall.
Learner examples
- The price fell last week.
- Temperatures fell at night.
- Sales fell in June.
- The number of students fell this year.
- The water level fell after summer.
Verb
B1
event
5
Be defeated or collapse (figurative)
To lose power or be destroyed in war or competition.
Synonyms
collapse (Implies complete breakdown, not just defeat.)
Antonyms
prevail (Means to win or be successful instead of being defeated.)
Collocations
fall in battle
|fall to an enemy
|empire falls
Themes
politics
|war
Examples
- The city fell after a long siege.
- His government fell amid scandal.
- Several kingdoms fell during that period.
- The castle finally fell to the invaders.
Learner examples
- The city fell after the war.
- The team fell in the final game.
- His empire fell many years ago.
- The castle fell to the enemy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fall
IPA
GB/fˈɔl/
US/fˈɔl/
Syllables & stress
fall (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fall)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fall
- Plural: falls
Verb
- Base: fall
- 3rd Person Singular: falls
- Present Participle: falling
- Past: fell
- Past Participle: fallen
Word family
Forms
Negative and opposite forms
rise
verb A2
Advanced or less common
downfall
noun B2
fallout
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past: fell Verb
- Irregular past participle: fallen Verb
Expressions
fall for [someone/something]
1/fˈɔl fɚ sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
Be attracted or deceived by someone/something
To start liking someone romantically; or to believe something that is not true.
Examples
- He really fell for her when they met at college.
- I can't believe you fell for that old trick.
fall out with [someone]
1/fˈɔl ˈaʊt wˈɪθ sˈʌmwˌʌn/
phrasal verb
Argue and stop being friendly with someone
To argue with someone and stop being friends with them.
Examples
- They fell out with each other over money.
- I've fallen out with my best friend.
fall short (of) [something]
1/fˈɔl ʃˈɔɹt əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Fail to reach a goal or standard
To not be as good as expected or not reach a goal.
Examples
- Our sales this year fell short of expectations.
- His performance fell short of what was needed.
fall apart
1/fˈɔl əpˈɑɹt/
phrasal verb
Break into pieces or fail completely
To break into pieces or stop working well; also to become very upset emotionally.
Examples
- The chair fell apart when I sat on it.
- The old book is falling apart at the spine.
- The old book was so worn that it fell apart in my hands.
- She fell apart after hearing the bad news.
- After her divorce, she started to fall apart emotionally.
- After years of stress, their marriage finally fell apart.
fall behind
1/fˈɔl bɪhˈaɪnd/
phrasal verb
Not keep up with others or a plan
To move slower than others or not finish work on time compared to others.
Examples
- If you miss classes, you'll fall behind in your studies.
- He fell behind in his studies after being ill.
- She fell behind in her studies after being sick.
- He fell behind on his rent payments.
- The company fell behind its competitors.
- The company has fallen behind its competitors in technology.