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
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
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
1
: the act of falling by the force of gravity
2
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
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
: of, relating to, or suitable for autumn
a new fall coat
Synonyms
Examples of fall in a Sentence
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 WebStuart Condie, WSJ, 4 Dec. 2023
And not too many months after that the federal government’s case against him fell apart.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
Starr’s report points to several recent studies which found that workers who labor under noncompetes earn less than those without them, and that when states enforce the agreements more stringently, wages fall.
—Caitlin Harrington, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2023
Nationally, the number of adult victims of fatal gun violence fell 6.6 percent, while juvenile victims increased 11.8 percent (in D.C., homicides dropped last year but have increased this year).
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
That nothing fell apart because there was nothing concrete in the first place.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2023
Consider that California’s overall population fell by 483,000 between 2019 and 2022, the largest decline among the states.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2023
Today that task falls chiefly to Collinsworth, the 64-year-old former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who took over analyst duties in 2009.
—Jody Rosen, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Saira Rao, an author and activist, said she was never informed or invited to weigh in on where the line falls.
—Chloe Melas, NBC News, 2 Dec. 2023
Sarah Viren, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2023
It can’t be denied that inflation has declined more rapidly than many economists (and the Fed) expected, and that this fall has coincided with sustained growth in employment and gross domestic product despite higher interest rates.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2023
Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, quietly had an Oscar qualifying run this fall and is now looking for a distributor.
—Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
Pamela Anderson attended multiple shows during this fall's Paris Fashion Week without any makeup on, and with her hair minimally styled.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023
Earlier this fall, the Senate used a workaround to vote on and confirm three Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chairman, whose nominations had been held up.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2023
Despite the apprehension, by fall The Browser Company debuted Arc Max, with generative AI.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2023
Roxanne Raab Clairemont Girls wrestling The junior pinned all three opponents at 140 pounds in the Queen of the Beach Tournament, and needed less than 3 ½ minutes total to win the University City Tournament, sweeping all four matches by fall.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2023
But those measures are spelled out in law, and at a hearing this fall, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, said lawmakers explicitly rejected including an emissions measure in the infrastructure law.
—Ian Duncan The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Akanksha Kamath, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2023
The fashion industry experienced a first on Thursday: Dior showed its pre-fall collection in Mumbai, marking the first time a major fashion label outside of India has shown in the country.
—Kevin Leblanc, ELLE, 31 Mar. 2023
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
See More
Verb
Origin said that shareholders owning about 69% of its stock voted for the takeover, meaning that the bid made by a consortium led by
Asset Management fell short of the 75% approval threshold needed to secure a deal.
—Stuart Condie, WSJ, 4 Dec. 2023
And not too many months after that the federal government’s case against him fell apart.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
Starr’s report points to several recent studies which found that workers who labor under noncompetes earn less than those without them, and that when states enforce the agreements more stringently, wages fall.
—Caitlin Harrington, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2023
Nationally, the number of adult victims of fatal gun violence fell 6.6 percent, while juvenile victims increased 11.8 percent (in D.C., homicides dropped last year but have increased this year).
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
That nothing fell apart because there was nothing concrete in the first place.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2023
Consider that California’s overall population fell by 483,000 between 2019 and 2022, the largest decline among the states.
—Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2023
Today that task falls chiefly to Collinsworth, the 64-year-old former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who took over analyst duties in 2009.
—Jody Rosen, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023
Saira Rao, an author and activist, said she was never informed or invited to weigh in on where the line falls.
—Chloe Melas, NBC News, 2 Dec. 2023
Noun
Summer slipped into fall, and membership in Debbie’s Facebook group continued to rise.
—Sarah Viren, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2023
It can’t be denied that inflation has declined more rapidly than many economists (and the Fed) expected, and that this fall has coincided with sustained growth in employment and gross domestic product despite higher interest rates.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2023
Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, quietly had an Oscar qualifying run this fall and is now looking for a distributor.
—Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
Pamela Anderson attended multiple shows during this fall's Paris Fashion Week without any makeup on, and with her hair minimally styled.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023
Earlier this fall, the Senate used a workaround to vote on and confirm three Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chairman, whose nominations had been held up.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2023
Despite the apprehension, by fall The Browser Company debuted Arc Max, with generative AI.
—Reece Rogers, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2023
Roxanne Raab Clairemont Girls wrestling The junior pinned all three opponents at 140 pounds in the Queen of the Beach Tournament, and needed less than 3 ½ minutes total to win the University City Tournament, sweeping all four matches by fall.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2023
But those measures are spelled out in law, and at a hearing this fall, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, said lawmakers explicitly rejected including an emissions measure in the infrastructure law.
—Ian Duncan The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023
Adjective
On 31 March, shortly after Dior’s pre-fall extravaganza at the Gateway of India, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre officially opened its doors in Mumbai, with the likes of Gigi Hadid, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Karlie Kloss turning out for the red-carpet launch.
—Akanksha Kamath, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2023
The fashion industry experienced a first on Thursday: Dior showed its pre-fall collection in Mumbai, marking the first time a major fashion label outside of India has shown in the country.
—Kevin Leblanc, ELLE, 31 Mar. 2023
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
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of fall was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing fall
Dictionary Entries Near fall
Cite this Entry
“Fall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
fall
1 of 2 verb1
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
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
More from Merriam-Webster on fall
Nglish: Translation of fall for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of fall for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fall
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share