FALLS (TO) Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

falls (to)

verb

present tense third-person singular of fall (to)

as in begins

to take the first step in (a process or course of action) after some refreshments, she fell to working with renewed vigor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for falls (to)

Verb

And everything begins to feel strangely familiar—like creative output assembled mechanically from patterns.

— Adam Taylor, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
In this novel, Aphrodite’s story begins with the goddess visiting a sculptor in Milos.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Definition of begins

Verb

The Genesis Scottish Open commences this week at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, as a significant co-sanctioned DP World Tour and PGA Tour event offering a $9 million purse.

— Zach Schenfisch, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Players and coaches are away from team facilities, taking time to regroup before training camp commences at the end of July.

— The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of commences

Verb

That process typically starts before agencies submit proposals to the commissions, though not in the case of the fencing (or the arch, which was already approved by one commission).

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 July 2026
Ahead of our July Monthly Meeting livestream, which starts at noon ET , here's a look at what moved our three top and bottom performers since our last meeting.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 16 July 2026

Definition of starts

Verb

Meanwhile, an emerging beauty crossover — whereby eyewear forms a part of daily rituals — opens new avenues for growth.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 20 July 2026
Including your horse starting to move forward just before the gate opens, then hitting the side of the stall and spotting the field several lengths.

— Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of opens

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.

Browse Nearby Words

falls short (of)

falls (to)

fall (to)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Falls (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falls%20%28to%29. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of falls (to)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dog days

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes