What does "fall away" mean (sense 1)?

Of ground or a surface: to slope steeply downward. Example: "Beyond the fence, the land fell away sharply into a deep ravine."

What does "fall away" mean (sense 2)?

To decrease in number, intensity, or strength gradually. Example: "Public support for the policy fell away as the economic situation worsened."

What does "fall away" mean (sense 3)?

Of feelings, worries, or inhibitions: to disappear or become less important. Example: "As the music started, all her anxiety fell away and she felt completely at ease."

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fall away

B2 neutral inseparable intransitive

To gradually decrease, disappear, or detach from something.

In plain English

To slowly get smaller, weaker, or to drop off something.

What does "fall away" mean?

4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 B2 neutral

uncommon

Of ground or a surface: to slope steeply downward.

"Beyond the fence, the land fell away sharply into a deep ravine."

inseparable

2 B2 idiomatic neutral

common

To decrease in number, intensity, or strength gradually.

"Public support for the policy fell away as the economic situation worsened."

inseparable

3 B2 idiomatic neutral

uncommon

Of feelings, worries, or inhibitions: to disappear or become less important.

"As the music started, all her anxiety fell away and she felt completely at ease."

inseparable

4 C1 idiomatic neutral

uncommon

To leave a group or stop supporting a cause; to abandon or desert.

"Many early followers fell away when the movement's leader was arrested."

inseparable

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

To fall in a direction away from a central point — moving downward and outward.

Actually means

To slowly get smaller, weaker, or to drop off something.

Usage tip

Used in physical contexts (ground falling away steeply), emotional contexts (worries falling away), and contexts of decline (support falling away). Has a somewhat literary or formal feel in some uses.

Words that pair with "fall away"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

ground support crowd noise worries inhibitions followers

How to conjugate "fall away"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base

fall away

I/you/we/they

3rd person

falls away

he/she/it

Past simple

fell away

yesterday

Past participle

fallen away

have + pp

-ing form

falling away

continuous

Hear "fall away" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "fall away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Other ways to say "fall away"

Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.

decrease diminish drop off dwindle peel away recede

Keep exploring

Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.

All phrasal verbs with "fall" All phrasal verbs with "away" More B2-level phrasal verbs