fɔːl əˈpɑːrt
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- fall
- Particle:
- apart
- Separable:
- No
What does "fall apart" mean?
- To break into pieces
- To fail completely; to stop working
- To become emotionally distressed; to lose composure
Examples
- My old shoes are falling apart.
- Their marriage fell apart after just two years.
- She fell apart when she heard the bad news.
- The coalition government is falling apart.
- Everything seemed to fall apart after he lost his job.
How to use it
Very common for describing both physical deterioration and emotional/organizational breakdown. 'I'm falling apart' suggests overwhelm or distress.
Similar expressions
disintegrate
break up
collapse
crumble
deteriorate
Opposites
hold together
stay intact
succeed
Related phrasal verbs
- fall down
To drop to the ground from a standing position
- fall behind
To fail to keep up with others or with a schedule
- fall through
To fail to happen or be completed as planned
- fall off
To become detached and drop from something
- fall out
To have an argument and stop being friendly
- fall over
To lose balance and drop to the ground
Use it in a practice answer
Try "fall apart" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.