as in decreases
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 falls away
As the song churns on, the focus narrows in on West until everything else falls away.
—
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Beyond them, the concrete of the 21st century falls away, replaced by creamy pillars and marble paving stretching into the distance, with green hills beyond.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Perusing the peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie recipe that Khoury has given Vogue from his book (yes, the one Nigella Lawson loves), any cynicism falls away.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025
The doc conceit falls away, replaced by a shallow attempt at the eerily elegant, off-kilter horror style codified by 2018’s Hereditary.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
The world falls away below while autumn air embraces you and bursts of color paint the seams between the pines.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Thrill seekers stand on a trap door before the floor falls away, plunging riders through the loops and into a splash pool.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Yet when the family returns to Bilbao, the soundtrack falls away.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The question with anything like this is whether a stricter application of the rules is here to stay or just a fad that, much like a New Year’s resolution, starts promisingly but quickly falls away.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2026
Beyond them, the concrete of the 21st century falls away, replaced by creamy pillars and marble paving stretching into the distance, with green hills beyond.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Perusing the peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie recipe that Khoury has given Vogue from his book (yes, the one Nigella Lawson loves), any cynicism falls away.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025
The doc conceit falls away, replaced by a shallow attempt at the eerily elegant, off-kilter horror style codified by 2018’s Hereditary.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
The world falls away below while autumn air embraces you and bursts of color paint the seams between the pines.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Thrill seekers stand on a trap door before the floor falls away, plunging riders through the loops and into a splash pool.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Yet when the family returns to Bilbao, the soundtrack falls away.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
The question with anything like this is whether a stricter application of the rules is here to stay or just a fad that, much like a New Year’s resolution, starts promisingly but quickly falls away.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falls away
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
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the furor over the October 7th attack and the Gaza war subsides, such gatherings have become easier to organize, several Beth El members told me.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
As the air subsides, it is compressed, which warms it up.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
20 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
Verb
-
Acuna’s show business resume tapers off in the mid-2010’s, according to IMDB.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
-
After the strongest storms move out, colder air will settle in with the possibility of a few wet snowflakes before the precipitation tapers off.—
Gregory Padgett,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jeannot is not wired to jump anybody who declines an invitation.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Six out of the 10 top richest people in the world have experienced wealth declines between $30 and $60 billion this calendar year, totalling over $255 billion.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Falls away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falls%20away. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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