WordVale

fall through

to fail to happen

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (phrasal verb) to fail to happen or be completed; to not succeed

2. (phrasal verb) to pass through an opening by falling

Examples

• 1. Our plans fell through when the hotel cancelled our reservation.
• 2. The child almost fell through the hole in the ice.

How to use fall through

Fall through means to fail to be completed or realized, often unexpectedly or at the last moment. It typically describes a plan, deal, agreement, or arrangement that was expected but did not happen. The sense of dropping through an opening is less common in everyday use but retains its literal meaning in descriptions of physical situations.

Common phrases

• fall through the cracks
• deal falls through
• plans fall through
• negotiations fall through
• agreement falls through

Synonyms

fail · come to nothing · collapse · not happen · be abandoned

Opposites

succeed · come off · go through

Word family

fall through (phrasal verb) · fallen through (past participle) · falling through (present participle)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'fall through' with 'go through' (meaning to succeed or be completed), which are opposite in meaning. Also, using 'fall through' with 'with' instead of standing alone: say 'the deal fell through' not 'the deal fell through with'.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

come around, cut out, do without, gear up, get around, hand out

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained