fall back on

Idioms  

1. Also, fall back upon. Rely on, have recourse to, as in I fall back on old friends in time of need, or When he lost his job he had to fall back upon his savings. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

When SpaceX suffered an explosion in September 2016, it took 15 months to return to service - and SpaceX had other pads to fall back on.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

And now, when Smith doesn’t get a call, he has ABS to fall back on.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

Then again, it wouldn’t come with millions of dollars to fall back on, either.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

It’s easy enough in theory to fall back on the principle, “well, too bad — let this be a lesson to you!”

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

I don’t have a self-defining talent like Bekah or even something I stuck with long enough to fall back on.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy