Definitions

fall behind

VERB

trail

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chase falter lag pull

STRONG

dally dangle dawdle delay dog drag draggle draw droop extend flag halt hang haul hunt linger loiter plod poke procrastinate pursue shadow shag spook spoor stalk straggle stream tail tarry tow trace track traipse trudge

WEAK

bedog bring up the rear drop back fall back follow a scent hang back hang down nose out poke along string along tag along take out after

Antonyms

STRONG

advance carry on complete finish forward go hasten hurry ignore leave leave alone let go push rise run away rush shorten speed stop tiptoe

WEAK

lead

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.

See Examples For:

fall behind

Kyle Chan, an expert on China at the Brookings Institution, said China appears increasingly willing to discuss an agreement as it appears to fall behind its U.S. competitors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

The CMS has the power to try to recover arrears if parents fall behind with payments.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

The new gadget can detect, for example, if keys fall behind a sofa.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

All of those changes have consumer advocates concerned that more borrowers could fall behind on their payments, amid confusion over which plans they’re eligible for and which ones make the most sense for them financially.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026

"I fall behind in school," my mom explains, continuing the story.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

fall behind

Example Sentences

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