fall behind

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fall, behind.

“You're falling behind with the rent.”

Similar
fall backdrop offrecedelagdawdle
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Meanings

verbfall behind (third-person singular simple present falls behind, present participle falling behind, simple past fell behind, past participle fallen behind)

present singular third person falls behind · participle present falling behind · past fell behind · participle past fallen behind

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fall, behind.
  2. idiomaticintransitiveTo be late (for a regular event)

    You're falling behind with the rent.

  3. intransitiveTo be progressively below average in performance.

    It's not like John to fall behind in maths.

    1 more example

    You could lose your job if you keep falling behind with your work.

  4. intransitivetransitiveto fail to keep up (with)

Synonyms & antonyms

verbretreat

Similar
fall backdrop offrecede
Broader
regressretrograderetrogress

verbhang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.

Similar
lagdawdlefall back
Broader
follow
Also see
back updawdledrop offfall backlagrecede

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic تَأَخَّرَ
  • تَأَخَّرَ (taʔaḵḵara)to be late
Chinese Mandarin 遲到 /迟到, 落後 /落后
  • 遲到 /迟到 (chídào)to be late
  • 落後 /落后 (luòhòu)to be below average in performance
Czech opozdit se, zaostávat
  • opozdit seto be late
  • zaostávatto be below average in performance
Finnish jäädä jälkeen, olla myöhässä
  • jäädä jälkeento be late
  • olla myöhässäto be late
  • jäädä jälkeento be below average in performance
French être en retard
  • être en retardto be late
German sich verspäten, zu spät sein
  • sich verspätento be late
  • zu spät seinto be late
Japanese 遅れる
  • 遅れる (okureru)to be late
Korean 늦다
  • 늦다 (neutda)to be late
Māori komutu
  • komututo fail to keep up
Polish spóźniać się
  • spóźniać sięto be late
Portuguese atrasar
  • atrasarto be late
Russian опа́здывать, опозда́ть
  • опа́здывать (opázdyvatʹ)to be late
  • опозда́ть (opozdátʹ)to be late
  • отстава́ть (otstavátʹ)to be below average in performance
  • отста́ть (otstátʹ)to be below average in performance
Spanish atrasar
  • atrasarto be late
Swedish hamna på efterkälken, sacka
  • hamna på efterkälkento be below average in performance
  • sackato be below average in performance
Cite this entry
APA

fall behind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20behind

MLA

“fall behind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20behind. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fall behind,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20behind.

Source: fall behind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.