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
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
When all of the ornamentation falls away, especially now that the show’s in its third season, Billeter thinks that the camera and the composition of the frame can really get at the emotional storylines.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2025
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
When all of the ornamentation falls away, especially now that the show’s in its third season, Billeter thinks that the camera and the composition of the frame can really get at the emotional storylines.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falls away
Verb
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Prescribed medication is used to manage discomfort, which usually decreases noticeably after the first week.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But those long hours sitting at a desk, commuting by car or public transport, and spending leisure time in front of screens also diminishes opportunities for the legs to be challenged.—
Desireé Oostland,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mariners traversing the bar are urged to exercise extreme caution or stay in port until the threat subsides.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The driver was safely rescued, but their vehicle will stay in the flooded roadway, between the road closures, until the water subsides.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Worse, the tariff burden is a regressive tax that falls hardest on lower-income households and small businesses with less bargaining power.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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There’s nothing as cozy as snuggling up in front of the fire while snow falls peacefully outside.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The threat gradually tapers off later Friday as the system moves east and winds slowly diminish.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
13 Jan. 2026
-
New accumulation should be no more than an inch, though, then a high near 31 as the precipitation tapers off Sunday morning.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As Gustav aims to work his way back into their lives, Nora retreats into isolation as her mental health increasingly declines.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Conversely, declines in the short-term interest rate partially mitigated the overall rise in payments.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Falls away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falls%20away. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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