as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
as the years went by, the public's interest in the murder case fell away
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Recent Examples of falling away
On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.
—
Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
Sunrays strobed down through the water, illuminating layer upon layer of marine life, falling away to the ocean floor some 15 feet below.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
True dandruff usually appears as larger white-to-yellow flakes with a slightly oily texture that stick to the scalp and hair rather than falling away like fine powder.
—Allure, 18 Dec. 2025
Like a snake shedding its skin, The Girlfriend’s expendable outer layers are falling away to reveal a more interesting core.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
Sunrays strobed down through the water, illuminating layer upon layer of marine life, falling away to the ocean floor some 15 feet below.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
True dandruff usually appears as larger white-to-yellow flakes with a slightly oily texture that stick to the scalp and hair rather than falling away like fine powder.
—Allure, 18 Dec. 2025
Like a snake shedding its skin, The Girlfriend’s expendable outer layers are falling away to reveal a more interesting core.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling away
Verb
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There are some recent signs that HALO trading has been decreasing.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
10 Mar. 2026
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Luckily, Sleep Week brings the best mattress sales, at least partially decreasing the strain on your wallet.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over time, your appliance builds up with minerals from hard water, such as calcium and magnesium, diminishing its ability to effectively clean your items.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
14 Mar. 2026
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The drumbeat for the diminishing prospects of the first-run syndication business has been growing louder over the past few years amid a shrinking marketplace.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
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But, by the end of May, the issue was not subsiding.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The roadside assistance and insurance provider says that fuel economy for most cars peaks at 50 mph before tapering off.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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The storm will make travel in the foothills and mountains difficult on Friday before tapering off Friday night.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Conyears-Ervin, Chicago’s treasurer since 2019, launched her second bid for the seat after falling short of unseating incumbent Davis two years ago.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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In fact, the temperature at Camp Mabry, Austin’s main weather observation site, tied the record for the largest 24-hour temperature drop, falling 58 degrees from a high of 97 degrees Sunday afternoon to a low of 39 degrees Monday morning.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And the financial incentive for workers to take the leap to a new job has been steadily declining for years, as employees cling to their roles and hiring stagnates.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
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For city officials, the agreement marks the most significant progress yet in their efforts to see the Sunrise Mall redeveloped from a declining retail center into a vibrant, mixed-use property with housing, entertainment and hotels.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Falling away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falling%20away. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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