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to fall in

to fall in

30 4.4
To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down
  • phrasal verb
  • /fɔl ɪn/
translation icon : derrumbarse
  • fell in love

And it's the roofs falling in and it's just not looking good.

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Examples

  • The results of the present study fall in between these two extremes.

    Academic text (2006)

  • While employment has fallen sharply in the past decade, output has not.

    Academic text (2010)

  • And it's the roofs falling in and it's just not looking good.

    KenDBerryMD

  • Instead of days, Tarcee Estate had fallen in less than three hours.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • NASA scientists calculated that most of its pieces would fall in the Asian Pacific region.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The regional population has fallen from 42,000 in 1910 to 18,000 today.

    Academic text (2010)

  • When the House of Hohenstaufen fell in the mid-13th century, a period of political turmoil and disorder ensued.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The old building began to fall in during the heavy storm, with bricks tumbling down from the walls.

  • After years of neglect, the once-grand structure finally fell in, leaving behind a pile of rubble.

  • The company's profits have drastically decreased, leading some experts to predict it may fall in within the next few years.

Synonyms

to give
vsto fall in
∞ 3.5

To stop being strong and bend or break under pressure

stresses inward collapse or structural failure rather than general yielding
to collapse
vsto fall in
579 3.9

To fall down suddenly, for example when a person faints or a building breaks

is focused on structures breaking inward and broader kinds of breakdown
to fall
vsto fall in
533 5.6

Lose power or be defeated, often suddenly

applies more to physical or structural inward collapse and organisational breakdown
to break down
vsto fall in
194 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

can be physical inward collapse or broader organisational or structural failure
to crumble
vsto fall in
177 3.4

To break into small pieces or become weaker and collapse

can mean breaking inwards or a broader collapse not only into pieces
to fall apart
vsto fall in
155 2.8

To break into pieces or stop working properly

also applies to structures and organisations collapsing inward or failing
to go under
vsto fall in
43 4.4

Fail because of money problems

includes financial or sinking failure but also physical inward collapse
to cave
vsto fall in
39 3.5

To collapse inward under pressure

covers both inward collapse and broader breakdowns beyond surfaces
to implode
vsto fall in
35 6.7

Collapse inward suddenly because of strong outside pressure

can be inward but also means general breaking down without bursting force
to give way
vsto fall in
35 4.2

Break or fail because of pressure

emphasises an inward collapse or breakdown more than simple yielding
to disintegrate
vsto fall in
35 5.8

Fall apart into smaller pieces or stop working together

includes inward collapsing structures as well as general loss of cohesion
to crumple
vsto fall in
22 3.9

Suddenly fall down because something is weak or hit hard

can be either sudden inward collapse or slower breakdown processes
to cave in
vsto fall in
22 3.7

Suddenly fall inward because its sides or top become weak, for example a tunnel

is similar but can mean any inward break or general breakdown
to founder
vsto fall in
5 6.8

To fail completely because of problems with plans or projects

focuses more on structural inward collapse as well as total failure
to come apart at the seams
vsto fall in
  • Informal
5 7.2

To fall apart or stop working properly after being stable

covers sudden inward collapse as well as slow breakdown over time
to fall apart like a house of cards
vsto fall in
  • Informal
6.5

Suddenly fail completely because it is weak or badly built

can describe sudden collapse inward or wider organisational failure from weakness

Antonyms

to hold together
90 3.4

Keep parts or people joined and working as one

to stand firm
22 3.7

Keep your decision or opinion when others try to make you change

How Collapsed

to cave in
22 3.7
to fall in
30 4.4
to give way
35 4.2
to crumble
177 3.4

Surface Forms

fall in infinitive
fell in past
fallen in past participle
falling in present participle
falls in third person singular

Morphology

fall + in

The meaning 'to collapse inward' is directly derivable from combining 'fall' (move downward) with 'in' (into/inside), so a learner who knows both words can infer a physical collapse. The metaphorical extension to organizations uses the same spatial imagery and follows common verb+particle patterns cross-linguistically, making it predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Fall in paints a literal picture of part of a building falling in on itself, like a roof dropping into the room below. So fall in means 'to collapse' or break down.