fall back on
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To turn to as a substitute; to rely on as a backup.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Since first tossing its cartoonish, good-time cock-rock to the masses in the early ’00s, The Darkness has always fallen back on this defense: The band is a joke, but hey, it’s a good joke. With Hot Cakes—the group’s third album, and first since reforming last year—the laughter has died. In its place
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
to be blamed on.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “fall back on” mean?
To turn to as a substitute; to rely on as a backup.
Is “fall back on” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.