fall away

To become smaller, lighter, or less strong.

• The noise slowly fell away.
• Sales have fallen away since the summer.
• His weight began to fall away during the illness.

Similar words: decrease, diminish, decline, drop

Opposites: increase, grow

Common phrases: fall away sharply, fall away gradually, sales fall away

If land does this, its surface slopes down to a lower level.

• The ground falls away steeply here.
• Beyond the house, the garden fell away towards a stream.
• Does the land fall away on both sides?

How to use it: fall away towards something (The ground falls away towards the river.); fall away from something (The land falls away from the road.)

Similar words: slope down, descend

Opposites: rise

Common phrases: fall away steeply, fall away gently, fall away towards something

To stop supporting a person, group, or belief.

• His supporters began to fall away.
• Many followers fell away from the group.
• After the scandal, even loyal friends were falling away.

How to use it: fall away from someone/something (Several members fell away from the movement after the scandal.)

Similar words: withdraw support, defect, desert

Common phrases: fall away from someone, supporters fall away, friends fall away

To disappear completely, die, or be lost.

• All her fears fell away.
• As the truth emerged, his illusions fell away.
• One by one, memories of that place had fallen away.

Similar words: disappear, vanish, perish

Opposites: appear

Common phrases: fall away completely, illusions fall away, memories fall away