fallout

1 of 2

noun

fall·​out ˈfȯl-ˌau̇t How to pronounce fallout (audio)
1
a
: the often radioactive particles stirred up by or resulting from a nuclear explosion and descending through the atmosphere
also : other polluting particles (such as volcanic ash) descending likewise
b
: descent (as of fallout) through the atmosphere
2
: a secondary and often lingering effect, result, or set of consequences
have to take a position and accept the political falloutAndy Logan

fall out

2 of 2

verb

fell out; fallen out; falling out; falls out

intransitive verb

1
: quarrel
also : to cut off relations over a quarrel
former friends who have fallen out
2
: turn out, happen
expected to be in the States …  , but things fell out otherwiseMark Twain
3
a
: to leave one's place in the ranks
b
: to leave a building in order to take one's place in a military formation

Examples of fallout in a Sentence

Noun concerned about the possible political fallout from the scandal Verb club members were soon falling out about how to spend the money they'd made washing cars I had planned to have a sports career, but things fell out otherwise.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Organizations not only face the possibility of immediate reputational damage but also class-action lawsuits from affected individuals, with the cost of litigation and settlements in some cases far outweighing the ransom demand, and driving companies to pay just to contain the fallout. Barbara Booth, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2024 The terrifying fallout from Marion's murder at the Bates Motel popularized the idea that a seemingly normal human being harboring a monster within had the potential to be way scarier than vampires, aliens, or any other supernatural creature. Megan McCluskey, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
The fact that everything from temperatures to precipitation patterns to bird migration trajectories is falling out of whack is contributing to kinds of trauma. Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2024 Apple fell out of the top five smartphone players in China earlier this year, according to research firm Canalys. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fallout 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fallout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fallout was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near fallout

Cite this Entry

“Fallout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fallout. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

fallout

1 of 2 noun
fall·​out ˈfȯ-ˌlau̇t How to pronounce fallout (audio)
: the often radioactive particles that are stirred up by or result from a nuclear explosion and descend through the atmosphere

fall out

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)fȯ-ˈlau̇t
1
: to have a quarrel
2

Medical Definition

fallout

noun
fall·​out ˈfȯ-ˌlau̇t How to pronounce fallout (audio)
1
: the often radioactive particles stirred up by or resulting from a nuclear explosion and descending through the atmosphere
also : other polluting particles (as volcanic ash) descending likewise
2
: descent (as of fallout) through the atmosphere

More from Merriam-Webster on fallout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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