falling-out 1 of 2

noun

ˌfȯ-liŋ-ˈau̇t How to pronounce falling-out (audio)
Definition of falling-outnext
as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the two friends have been lonely and miserable since they had a falling-out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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falling out

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fall out
1
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily club members were soon falling out about how to spend the money they'd made washing cars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in proving
to come to be I had planned to have a sports career, but things fell out otherwise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 falling-out
Noun
Dahlan had previously been driven from Gaza by Hamas and was exiled in 2010 after a falling-out with Abbas. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 The Index news portal reported the attack followed a falling-out between the students on Thursday. — ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
Some are closer to the win column than others and some earn a big unexpected bonus due to a boob falling out and receiving camera time. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 And the enormous investment in AI is a positive development keeping the bottom from falling out—though only in certain economies. — Justin Worland, Time, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for falling-out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling-out
  1. altercation
  2. bickering
  3. proving
  4. quarrel
  5. fighting
  6. coming out
  7. dispute
  8. arguing
Noun
  • On Friday, Benson's family told CBS News Detroit that the incident stemmed from an altercation that happened years prior.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Wallace was charged in federal court last month on the same day that her successor, Cody Bass, was ordered to spend 10 days in a Douglas County, Nevada, jail for a harassment conviction stemming from an altercation at a brewpub.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercation
Verb
  • The two are fond but sick of each other, at times bickering with real melancholy and malice.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bickering
Verb
  • Sam Moses is proving there's still something special about the old-fashioned way, despite new technology.
    — Steve Overmyer, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Short, softly layered, and effortlessly chic, the cut became synonymous with her style, proving that sometimes the simplest looks make the biggest statement.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of proving
Noun
  • In the first incident, a 47-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in the upper body during a quarrel with his killer outside a Bronx homeless shelter on Sedgwick Ave.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • When a quarrel over an inheritance revives old hostilities, their relationship comes under pressure from greed and treachery in a conflict not of their making.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of quarrel
Verb
  • There’s such a funny contrast between the peaceful idea of gardening and the absolute chaos of fighting your friends.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The formula helps reduce the risk of damage with a conditioning and strengthening blend of sunflower seed oil, hydrolyzed rice protein, and glycerin, which are also all heroes at fighting color-fading and dryness.
    — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of fighting
Verb
  • Nicholson has taken a break from the spotlight, with his last movie coming out in 2010.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Anudike-Uzomah was merely a two-star recruit coming out of Lee’s Summit.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of coming out
Noun
  • Heemeyer owned a muffler shop in the town and had been engaged in a long-running series of property and zoning disputes with local authorities.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Having been through the NBA and NFL lockouts of 2011 and other labor disputes, McKenzie recalled just how much of a rush there can be on supplementing income if paychecks don’t resume.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of dispute
Verb
  • Wisconsin Democrats have failed on multiple occasions to petition the Wisconsin Supreme Court to grant a redraw of the maps, arguing that the current map unfairly favors Republicans.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly questioned whether women should serve in ground combat and special operations roles, arguing that their inclusion could undermine military effectiveness and physical standards.
    — James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of arguing

Browse Nearby Words

falling on one's face
falling-out
falling out
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Cite this Entry

“Falling-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falling-out. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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