1 A2 neutral
To make slower progress than others or than a required pace; to lose one's position in a group or competition.
"She fell behind the rest of the class after missing two weeks of school due to illness."
inseparable
fall behind
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To fail to keep up with others or with a schedule; to make less progress than expected.
In plain English
To be slower than other people or than you should be.
What does "fall behind" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To fail to pay bills, rent, or debts on time.
"They fell behind on the mortgage after he lost his job, and eventually the bank repossessed the house."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To fail to keep up with work, tasks, or a schedule.
"If you fall behind on your assignments, it's very hard to catch up before the end of term."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fall so that you end up in a position behind others.
Actually means
To be slower than other people or than you should be.
Usage tip
Extremely common in academic, professional, and financial contexts. Often followed by 'with' (fall behind with payments) or 'on' (fall behind on coursework). Applies to schedules, payments, competitors, or peers.
Words that pair with "fall behind"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
schedule payments rent work competitors peers coursework
How to conjugate "fall behind"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fall behind
I/you/we/they
3rd person
falls behind
he/she/it
Past simple
fell behind
yesterday
Past participle
fallen behind
have + pp
-ing form
falling behind
continuous
Hear "fall behind" in the wild
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Other ways to say "fall behind"
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Keep exploring
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