fall-through

noun

In certain programming constructs, the situation where execution passes to the next condition in a list unless explicitly redirected.

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Meanings

nounfall-through (countable and uncountable, plural fall-throughs)

plural fall-throughs · alternative fallthrough

  1. countableuncountablecomputingIn certain programming constructs, the situation where execution passes to the next condition in a list unless explicitly redirected.

    Specifically, it prohibits fall-through conditions in almost all cases.

    2008, Nagel et al, Professional C# 2008
    2 more examples

    It is a good idea to comment the (rare) cases in which a fall-through is intentional so that an uncommented fall-through can be assumed to be an error.

    1997, Bjarne Stroustrup, The C++ Programming Language: Language Libraries and Design

    If you place default elsewhere, then a break will be required to prevent fall-through.

    2001, Graham M Seed, Barry J Cooper, An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming in C++

Origin

Deverbal from fall through.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“fall-through.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall-through. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

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

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