fallback

1 of 2

noun

fall·​back ˈfȯl-ˌbak How to pronounce fallback (audio)
Synonyms of fallbacknext
1
: something on which one can fall back : reserve
—often used attributively
a fallback career
a fallback position
2
: a falling back : retreat
3
: something that falls back
the fallback from an explosion

fall back

2 of 2

verb

fell back; fallen back; falling back; falls back

intransitive verb

: retreat, recede
see also:
fall back on

Synonyms of fallback

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of fallback in a Sentence

Verb resistance from native forces was greater than expected, and the invading army was forced to fall back
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
If this model spreads, public access to home listings could become a fallback rather than the default. — Derrick Johnson, Time, 4 Aug. 2026 Ten million jobs are tied to cars, parts and dealers — the economic backbone of entire regions that have no obvious fallback. — Philipp Kampshoff, Fortune, 30 July 2026
Verb
And after a hot start, quarterback Bo Nix has fallen back into inconsistency, with even fewer windows available in Wednesday’s team periods given the absences of his two top receivers in Waddle and Sutton. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026 The youngest brother of Daniel, William and Alec Baldwin characterized at least part of his falling back from Hollywood as a way to free himself from industry expectations. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fallback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fallback was in 1607

Rhymes for fallback

See All Rhymes for fallback

Browse Nearby Words

fall away
fallback
fall back
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fallback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fallback. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

fall back

verb
: retreat entry 2 sense 1
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All