fall in line

Idioms  

1. Also, fall into line. Adhere to established rules or predetermined courses of action. For example, This idea falls in line with the entire agenda, or It wasn't easy to get all the tenants to fall into line concerning the rent hike. A related term is bring into line, meaning “to make someone fit established rules,” as in It was her job to bring her class into line with the others. These terms employ line in the sense of “alignment,” a usage dating from about 1500.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fall in line

Former England spinner Phil Tufnell agreed with Vaughan that a substantial punishment is the only way to ensure players fall in line.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

You did not fall in line, and your brother was rewarded for acquiescing, even if he did have his own agenda.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

A military that wouldn’t fall in line with a new civilian government would be another potential hurdle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

Otherwise, the Beige Book seemed to largely fall in line with the view of the economy that Fed Chair Jerome Powell outlined on Tuesday —i.e. not much has changed from September.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2025

I tried to give my brother the same stare that Mama used on us when she expected us to fall in line, but it didn’t work.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce