fall into

phrasal verb

fell into; fallen into; falling into; falls into
1
: to go down quickly into (something)
She fell into the swimming pool.
2
: to pass to (a less active or less desirable state or condition)
This word has fallen into disuse.
His theories have now fallen into disrepute/disfavor.
The machinery has fallen into disrepair.
3
: to belong in (a particular category or range)
His creative output falls into three distinct categories.
4
: to be caught in (a trap)
We fell into a trap.
5
: to begin to do or experience (something) or to be affected by (something) without wanting or trying to
He fell deeply into debt.
She fell into her career almost accidentally.
She fell into the habit of going out for ice cream every night.

Examples of fall into in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When late payment stretches on for a total of 270 days, then the borrower falls into default. Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 June 2025 The man shaped like a bodybuilder and with the worst injuries fell into step beside me, and Sam shifted forward, as though to give us privacy. Literary Hub, 24 June 2025 All this has happened in an era in which the United States’ antiquated nuclear arsenal has fallen into disrepair, with ongoing modernization efforts mired in delays and rampant cost overruns. Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025 On June 20, a person died when a large tree fell into a moving vehicle in Clinton, New York. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fall into

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Cite this Entry

“Fall into.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%20into. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

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