fall back
Third Person
falls back
Present Participle
falling back
Past Tense
fell back
Past Participle
fallen back
1
to move back, often from a challenging situation or conflict
- Faced with overwhelming enemy forces, the soldiers had to fall back to a more defensible position.
- The team decided to fall back when they realized they were outnumbered and outgunned.
- In the face of criticism, the company chose to fall back and reassess its marketing strategy.
- During the battle, the troops were ordered to fall back to regroup and reinforce their positions.
- Recognizing the escalating conflict, the negotiators chose to fall back temporarily to allow tensions to cool.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
2
to suddenly lose one's balance and fall backward
- Losing his footing on the slippery slope, he began to fall back, narrowly avoiding a more serious tumble.
- As the gust of wind intensified, the tree branch couldn't hold its weight and started to fall back.
- Stepping on the uneven surface, she felt herself lose balance and began to fall back but managed to catch herself.
- The unstable chair gave way, causing him to fall back unexpectedly, surprising those around him.
- Attempting a challenging yoga pose, she struggled to maintain balance and ultimately started to fall back, giggling at her attempt.
3
to revert to a previous state of bad behavior, habit, or practice, especially after making an effort to change
- Despite his efforts to quit smoking, he fell back into the habit during times of stress.
- After completing a rehabilitation program, she was determined not to fall back into substance abuse.
- The students who had improved their grades began to fall back when they stopped putting in effort.
- The athlete struggled not to fall back into unhealthy eating habits during the off-season.
- Breaking the cycle of negative behavior can be challenging, as individuals may sometimes fall back into familiar patterns.
Synonyms:
4
to rely on something as a backup or alternative plan
- When the original plan failed, they had to fall back on their contingency strategy.
- If the weather doesn't improve, we may need to fall back on our indoor event option.
- In times of crisis, people often fall back on their core values for guidance.
- When faced with uncertainty, it's essential to have a reliable plan to fall back on.
- If the first solution proves unfeasible, we can fall back on the alternative approach.
5
to reduce in number or value
- The demand for the product fell back after the initial surge in sales.
- As the economy struggled, consumer spending began to fall back.
- The enthusiasm for the project fell back when unexpected challenges arose.
- Company profits fell back due to increased competition in the market.
- Despite initial progress, the team saw their lead fall back as the opposing team gained momentum.