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

see also:

fall back on

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

If Ebikitie blows his market away, Dre'Mont Jones offers a perfect fallback option. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026

Against that backdrop, Oman and Saudi Arabia have become the fallback option for anyone wanting to travel. —Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026

Verb

Crude prices shot up above $100 on the news of the attacks before falling back a bit. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026

Even if oil futures begin to fall back to earth, that doesn’t mean immediate savings at the pump. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026

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