1
as in stumbles
to go down from an upright position suddenly and involuntarily
better sand that walkway before somebody falls on the ice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in succumbs
to yield to the control or power of enemy forces
the city fell after weeks of merciless bombardment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in plunges
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
word soon got out that the movie was no good, and box-office receipts fell like a rock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decreases
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
manufacturing in the area is falling, and closing signs are going up all over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in descends
to lead or extend downward
the lake bottom falls sharply just a few feet from the shoreline, so be careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in loses
to undergo defeat
not surprisingly, the novice player fell to a much stronger opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in wanders
to commit an offense
even saints can fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in dies
to stop living
if their brave leader falls, the men will lose their courage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of falls
Anne Bryson, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Payton’s falls short of Chamberlain Gary Payton II had a chance to equal the feat of one of the game’s greatest players on Friday.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
The holiday falls during the month of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar, usually in either March or April on the Gregorian calendar.
—Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The airport automatically must slow the number of flights at the airport if the number of air traffic controllers falls below a certain level, based on Federal Aviation Administration rules.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
This graying bachelor falls for his patient, a high schooler named Sophie (Brianna Joy Chomer) and, when rejected, threatens to clobber her disabled boyfriend (Carson Boatman) with the guy’s own crutch.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
When demand falls, bond yields rise.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Yet the same issues keep popping up, and network and studio each keep insisting the responsibility falls with the other to make things better.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands and falls outside the 14 Eyes jurisdiction.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 21 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
At the same time, residents were losing significant weight and developing malnutrition, enduring life-threatening pressure ulcers and repeatedly suffering unwitnessed falls, in part due to understaffing, James alleged.
—Eli Cahan, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
Even minor errors in timing or force distribution can lead to falls or inefficient movement.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
Geriatricians say the amount of older adults who've died from falls have tripled in the last three decades, and two thirds of the fatal falls were linked to prescription pills that caused drowsiness and impaired balance.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Its stock markets have had some of the world’s steepest falls this month, with the benchmark Kospi index losing another 2% Friday.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
The thirst for energy supply chains not linked to the spikes and falls of fossil fuel pricing is driving change.
—Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Plosser Davis points out that light reflecting from shiny surfaces can create visual distractions that affect depth perception, increasing the risk of falls.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
My mother has recently had a few falls.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Support falls somewhat, to 70%, among non-MAGA Republicans.
—Anne Bryson, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Payton’s falls short of Chamberlain Gary Payton II had a chance to equal the feat of one of the game’s greatest players on Friday.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
The holiday falls during the month of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar, usually in either March or April on the Gregorian calendar.
—Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The airport automatically must slow the number of flights at the airport if the number of air traffic controllers falls below a certain level, based on Federal Aviation Administration rules.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
This graying bachelor falls for his patient, a high schooler named Sophie (Brianna Joy Chomer) and, when rejected, threatens to clobber her disabled boyfriend (Carson Boatman) with the guy’s own crutch.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
When demand falls, bond yields rise.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Yet the same issues keep popping up, and network and studio each keep insisting the responsibility falls with the other to make things better.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands and falls outside the 14 Eyes jurisdiction.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Another American pair Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe registered two falls and dropped to 16th.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
At the same time, residents were losing significant weight and developing malnutrition, enduring life-threatening pressure ulcers and repeatedly suffering unwitnessed falls, in part due to understaffing, James alleged.
—Eli Cahan, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
Even minor errors in timing or force distribution can lead to falls or inefficient movement.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
Geriatricians say the amount of older adults who've died from falls have tripled in the last three decades, and two thirds of the fatal falls were linked to prescription pills that caused drowsiness and impaired balance.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Its stock markets have had some of the world’s steepest falls this month, with the benchmark Kospi index losing another 2% Friday.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
The thirst for energy supply chains not linked to the spikes and falls of fossil fuel pricing is driving change.
—Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Plosser Davis points out that light reflecting from shiny surfaces can create visual distractions that affect depth perception, increasing the risk of falls.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
My mother has recently had a few falls.
—Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falls
Verb
-
Bleeding heavily, Waaler stumbles into a corridor and slowly takes his last breath as Hole, who jumped out at the floor above and ran back downstairs, watches, gun in hand.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
-
If the student stumbles, the AI agent gives them clues, along with criticism and positive feedback.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But her character succumbs to Ducournau’s convoluted plotting.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The 11-year-old titular character in Hamnet, up for Best Picture, succumbs to the plague.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His documentary plunges viewers into a 1996 expedition in Brazil to contact the isolate Indigenous Koruba people in the Amazon rainforest.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Set in a remote harbor village near the DMZ, the sci-fi thriller kicks off with reports of a mysterious discovery that plunges the town into a desperate fight for survival.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This slightly decreases the total mass of objects in interplanetary space — the material and space between planets — while slightly increasing the masses of the planets themselves.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the summer air thickens with diffused sunlight and harsh humidity, a psychological fog descends on our young protagonist.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
And water aerobics for senior women descends into a bizarre request.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One scholarly paper found that the typical retiree who claims before 70 loses $182,370 in potential Social Security income.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Access to the clinics will be limited to anyone who loses coverage as a result of new federal rules for Medicaid eligibility, set to take effect next January.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The next morning, Greg wanders across campus in his rumpled suit.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
As the pensive Moon wanders into your vocal 3rd house, your mind buzzes with activity.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Not everyone dies, but there are innocent victims every day.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The socialite is now a bailiff, Orsolya Ionescu (Eszter Tompa), who has a husband and three children, none of whom, mercifully, dies; the plight of the young and comfortable is not Jude’s concern.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Falls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falls. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
