fallout

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noun fall·out \ˈfȯl-ˌau̇t\

Definition of fallout

1a : 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 likewiseb : 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 fallout — Andy Logan

See fallout defined for English-language learners

See fallout defined for kids

Examples of fallout in a Sentence

concerned about the possible political fallout from the scandal

Recent Examples of fallout from the Web

How Ron Rivera is dealing with the fallout of the Panthers’ change at GM.

— albert breer, SI.com, "Ron Rivera on Carolina’s Wild Week," 20 July 2017
Trump has recently had to contend with fallout from revelations that his son met with Russians who offered damaging information about his opponent Hillary Clinton.

— amy yurkanin, AL.com, "Birmingham company participating in 'Made in America' event at White House," 16 July 2017
Now, the fallout continues, as Griffin has reportedly been interviewed by the Secret Service for over an hour.

— matt miller, Esquire, "This Is What Happens When You Photograph Yourself With the President's Bloody Head," 5 July 2017
Bumble and Bumble’s formula is meant for preventing hair fallout and restoring damage.

— jessica prince erlich, The Cut, "The Best and Worst Luxury and Drugstore Volume Shampoos," 30 June 2017
And the fallout from the potential merger isn’t over.

— maya kosoff, The Hive, "The Amazon-Whole Foods Merger Is Already Wreaking Havoc," 28 June 2017
Critics have argued that while safety improvements were needed, they were poorly implemented, with major fallout.

— donna st. george, Washington Post, "Nearly 850 employees in Md. school system on leave this year as child abuse investigations soar," 25 June 2017
But fallout continues because of a sharp disagreement among school officials about the response to the unsigned letter.

— mike cason, AL.com, "Recapping the year-long saga of the anonymous Pouncey allegation," 24 June 2017
The Wall Street meltdown of 2008 and its global fallout provided a massive natural experiment for scholars of mass politics in tough times.

— larry bartels, Washington Post, "The ‘wave’ of right-wing populist sentiment is a myth," 21 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fallout.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of fallout

1949

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

FALLOUT Defined for English Language Learners

fallout

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noun

Definition of fallout for English Language Learners

: the radioactive particles that are produced by a nuclear explosion and that fall through the atmosphere
: a bad effect or result of something

FALLOUT Defined for Kids

fallout

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noun fall·out \ˈfȯl-ˌau̇t\

Definition of fallout for Students

1 : the usually radioactive particles falling through the atmosphere as a result of a nuclear explosion
2 : the bad result of something He suffered the fallout from his poor decision.

Medical Dictionary

fallout

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noun fall·out \ˈfȯ-ˌlau̇t\

Medical Definition of fallout

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