fɔːl ɒf
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- fall
- Particle:
- off
- Separable:
- No
What does "fall off" mean?
- To become detached and drop from something
- To decrease in quantity, quality, or intensity
- To become less frequent or popular
Examples
- A button fell off my coat.
- Sales have fallen off dramatically this quarter.
- The child almost fell off the swing.
- Interest in the project fell off after the initial excitement.
- Attendance at the club has fallen off recently.
How to use it
'Fall off a cliff' is used metaphorically for sudden dramatic decline. 'Fall off the wagon' is an idiom meaning to return to drinking alcohol after a period of abstinence.
Similar expressions
decrease
decline
drop
diminish
detach
Opposites
increase
rise
attach
improve
Related phrasal verbs
- fall down
To drop to the ground from a standing position
- fall apart
To break into pieces
- 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 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 off" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.