1 B1 neutral
In military or physical contexts, to retreat or move to a position further back.
"Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers had no choice but to fall back to the river."
inseparable
fall back
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To move backward or retreat, especially under pressure.
In plain English
To move back or go back to an earlier position, especially when things get hard.
What does "fall back" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 idiomatic neutral
Of clocks: to be set one hour earlier, as in the end of daylight saving time.
"Don't forget — the clocks fall back this Sunday, so you'll get an extra hour of sleep."
inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To move physically backward, often due to surprise or loss of balance.
"She fell back against the wall when the door suddenly swung open."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fall in a backward direction.
Actually means
To move back or go back to an earlier position, especially when things get hard.
Usage tip
Common in military contexts (troops falling back) and clock-change contexts (clocks fall back in autumn/fall). Also used figuratively to describe retreating from a position or stance.
Words that pair with "fall back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
troops army position clocks time forces defensive line
How to conjugate "fall back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fall back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
falls back
he/she/it
Past simple
fell back
yesterday
Past participle
fallen back
have + pp
-ing form
falling back
continuous
Hear "fall back" in the wild
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Other ways to say "fall back"
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