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Synonyms

fall behind

British  

verb

  1. to drop back; fail to keep up

  2. to be in arrears, as with a payment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
fall behind Idioms  

  1. Also, get behind.

  2. Lag, fail to keep up, as in You really must keep up with the others; if you fall behind you could get lost . [First half of 1500s]

  3. Be financially in arrears, as in He fell behind in his payments . [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the Super Bowl, the Seahawks gave up a 75-yard touchdown run to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Willie Parker to fall behind 14-3 early in the third quarter.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2026

In the long run, you’ll probably fall behind whenever most investors want exciting stocks instead—and you would better be prepared for those periods to last for years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

"For an adult, waiting is annoying, painful and difficult. But for a child, waiting means your peer group moves on while you don't. You fall behind and never catch up."

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

But consumers who fall behind can face a shutoff once the moratorium ends at the end of March.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

“Yishan,” Pinmei whispered fiercely, pulling him to fall behind the king’s billowing robes.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.