falloff

1 of 2

noun

fall·​off ˈfȯl-ˌȯf 

: a decline especially in quantity or quality

a falloff in exports

a falloff of light intensity

fall off

2 of 2

verb

fell off; fallen off; falling off; falls off

intransitive verb

1

: trend sense 2b

2

of a ship : to deviate to leeward of the point to which the bow was directed

Synonyms

Noun

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• drop-off
• fall
• loss
• reduction
• shrinkage
• step-down

Verb

• arc
• arch
• bend
• bow
• crook
• curve
• hook
• round
• sweep
• swerve
• trend
• wheel

Examples of falloff in a Sentence

Noun

the falloff in sales was more than the store could weather and so its closing was inevitable

Verb

the coastline falls off toward the north after you round the bay

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

During the 2024 Summer Games, Paris saw a surge of visitors but also a dramatic falloff in business for some shops and museums because of security restrictions that closed off parts of the city, according to the Associated Press. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

Jock O’Connell, a California trade specialist at Beacon Economics, said the Trump administration’s trade skirmishes with China in 2017 caused a dramatic falloff in the state’s trade volume. —Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024

Verb

Now, prepare to gasp with other passengers while watching chunks of ice fall off the glacier in real-time. —Tomeka Jones, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2024

Both dryness and over-watering can cause the plant to droop and the leaves to fall off. —Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1789, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1