fallback

1 of 2

noun

fall·​back ˈfȯl-ˌbak 

1

: something on which one can fall back : reserve

—often used attributively

a fallback career

a fallback position

2

: a falling back : retreat

3

: something that falls back

the fallback from an explosion

fall back

2 of 2

verb

fell back; fallen back; falling back; falls back

intransitive verb

: retreat, recede

Phrases

fall back on or fall back upon

: to have recourse to

had to fall back on their reserves

Synonyms of fallback

Verb

• withdraw
• retreat
• drop back
• pull out
• retire

Examples of fallback in a Sentence

Verb

resistance from native forces was greater than expected, and the invading army was forced to fall back

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

At the same time, Florida appears to be waiting on Lane Kiffin’s decision before turning to Sumrall as a fallback option. —Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025

While speeds top out around 150 Mbps and promotional pricing increases after the first three months, Viasat remains a practical fallback for remote homes that need consistent coverage regardless of terrain or infrastructure. —Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025

Verb

Mortgage rates in recent months have fallen to, slightly risen and fallen back to 3-year lows. —Matt Richardson, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025

His breakthrough at the 1979 Masters came in a playoff with Tom Watson and Ed Sneed, who bogeyed the final three holes to fall back into a tie. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fallback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

fall back

verb

: retreat entry 2 sense 1