fall away

verb

Definition of fall awaynext
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually as the years went by, the public's interest in the murder case fell away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fall away The fragmentation of dementia sometimes makes David’s consciousness more sharply attuned to things, while entire other swaths of life fall away. — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026 Winding along Prospect’s curving paths, there’s a sense that the outside world has fallen away. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026 The political sparring fell away in this moment, and the conversation turned personal, with Biden testing whether Fuentes could be confronted directly rather than through his media proxies. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026 Keep an eye out for flowers in which the petals and stamens have fallen away completely. — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fall away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall away
  1. decrease
  2. diminish
  3. subside
  4. fall
  5. decline
  6. ease
  7. taper off
Verb
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • To continue decreasing the vacancy rate, Center City Partners has focused on older buildings that aren’t as appealing to a return-to-office workforce That focus is on renovations or conversions.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • At least one expert said that some workers could have access to oxygen, but others warned that the chances of finding survivors were diminishing.
    — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Violence diminishes its victims, forcing everyone to play a single thankless role.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Though impending rainstorms are likely to make rescue operations more difficult, officials say a previous threat from a lake that had formed on the border between Nepal and Tibet has substantially subsided.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Opinion ​polls gave the king firm backing to stay on for life, however, and the criticism subsided.
    — Terje Solsvik, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of subside
Verb
  • The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Oscar winner paired a leopard-print Givenchy fall 2026 dress and the fashion house’s modern take on T-strap high heels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • However, entering June, crude prices pulled back significantly, while retail gasoline prices declined at a markedly slower pace.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At home several center-right parties initially declined to join his coalition, illustrating the challenge of uniting the broader Brazilian right behind his candidacy.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • Anti-anxiety medications, including benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Librium, Xanax and Valium, can work quickly to ease extreme worry, fear, social anxiety or panic attacks.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bidets may also ease discomfort from hemorrhoids, fistulas and anal fissures, and help people with chronic diarrhea or conditions that require frequent wiping.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of ease
Verb
  • If gravel tapers off at the edges of your garden, weeds will easily find their way into the soil below and germinate.
    — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Then there’s the question of whether demand will taper off, which is difficult to predict.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of taper off

Browse Nearby Words

fall apart
fall away
fall back
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fall away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20away. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All