1 A2 neutral
To drop or come out of a container or from a fixed position.
"A receipt fell out of his jacket pocket when he hung it up."
inseparable
fall out
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To drop or detach from a container, or to have a disagreement that damages a relationship.
In plain English
To drop out of something, or to have a fight with a friend and stop getting along.
What does "fall out" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To quarrel with someone, resulting in a damaged or ended relationship.
"The two sisters fell out over their mother's will and haven't spoken in years."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
Military: to leave a formation or be dismissed from ranks.
"After the parade, the officer ordered the troops to fall out."
inseparable
4 B1 neutral
Of hair or teeth: to come out of the body.
"Her hair started to fall out during the chemotherapy treatment."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fall from inside something, coming out through an opening.
Actually means
To drop out of something, or to have a fight with a friend and stop getting along.
Usage tip
In British English, 'fall out' is the standard expression for a quarrel that damages a friendship. The quarrel sense is informal and very common. It also has a military sense (the opposite of 'fall in') meaning to leave a formation. The physical sense is neutral and transparent.
Words that pair with "fall out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
friends family teeth hair formation a dispute pocket
How to conjugate "fall out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fall out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
falls out
he/she/it
Past simple
fell out
yesterday
Past participle
fallen out
have + pp
-ing form
falling out
continuous
Hear "fall out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fall out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "fall out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
argue drop fall out with have a row quarrel tumble out
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