fall out

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 argue with someone and stop being friends B2
  2. 2 become loose and drop out (hair, teeth) B1
1 fall out

argue with someone and stop being friends

B2

What does "fall out" mean in this sense?

To fall out with someone means to have a serious argument that damages or ends your relationship with them — you go from being close to being distant or no longer on speaking terms. It suggests more than a temporary disagreement; there is a real breakdown in the relationship, often lasting weeks, months, or even years. The cause of the falling-out is often introduced with 'over' — for example, money, a misunderstanding, or a difference of opinion. Unlike a quick quarrel that blows over, falling out implies lasting damage to a friendship, family bond, or working relationship. It is a neutral expression that works equally well in conversation and in writing, though it is particularly common in British and Irish English.

Examples

How to use it

fall out with + person

The most common structure — 'with' introduces the person you have the argument with.

She fell out with her closest friend after the holiday and they haven't spoken since.

fall out over + cause

Use 'over' to explain what the argument was about — the topic or issue that caused the rift.

The two business partners fell out over how to handle the company's finances.

fall out with + person + over + cause

Both prepositional phrases can appear together to show both who was involved and what caused the disagreement.

He fell out with his brother over the decision to sell their parents' house.

fall out (no complement)

When it's already clear who was involved, you can drop the 'with' phrase entirely.

We were inseparable at university, but we fell out in our final year.

fall out with each other / one another

Use 'each other' or 'one another' when the falling-out is mutual and you want to emphasise both sides.

The two colleagues fell out with each other over a misunderstanding and the whole team noticed the tension.

Common Collocations

fall out with a friendfall out with familyfall out over moneyfall out badlyfall out with a colleaguefall out over a disagreement

Common Mistakes

Missing 'with' before the person

'Fall out' is intransitive — you cannot place a person directly after it as an object. You must use 'with' to introduce the other person.

✗ They fell out each other over something trivial.
✓ They fell out with each other over something trivial.
Confusing 'fall out with' and 'break up'

'Fall out with' describes a serious argument that damages any kind of relationship — friends, family, or colleagues. 'Break up' is used specifically for romantic relationships ending, so the two are not interchangeable.

✗ She broke up with her best friend after the argument.
✓ She fell out with her best friend after the argument.
Using it for a minor disagreement

'Fall out with' implies a significant and lasting breakdown in a relationship, not just a brief argument that is quickly forgotten. For a minor or temporary disagreement, expressions like 'have a row' or 'argue' are more appropriate.

Usage

This phrasal verb is more common in British and Irish English than in American English, where 'have a falling-out' is preferred. It is neutral in register and works in both spoken conversation and written narratives.

2 fall out

become loose and drop out (hair, teeth)

B1

Sense 2: What does "fall out" mean?

This sense of 'fall out' describes hair, teeth, or fur detaching naturally from the body and dropping away. It almost always suggests an involuntary process — something happening to the person rather than something they do deliberately. You'll hear it most often in health and medical contexts, such as when someone loses hair because of stress, illness, or medical treatment, or when a child loses their baby teeth. The phrase often appears in the continuous form ('is falling out', 'was falling out') to describe something that is happening gradually over time. It is the most natural and common way to describe this kind of hair or tooth loss in both everyday conversation and more formal medical discussions.

Examples

How to use it

hair / teeth + fall out

The subject is always the body part (hair, teeth, fur, etc.) — not the person experiencing the loss.

Her hair started falling out just a few weeks after the treatment began.

fall out + in clumps / patches

Use 'in clumps' or 'in patches' to describe large or uneven amounts falling out at once.

His fur was falling out in patches, so the vet recommended a check-up.

fall out + from / due to / because of + cause

Use this pattern to give a reason for the hair or tooth loss.

Her eyelashes fell out due to the side effects of the medication.

start / begin + falling out

Use 'start' or 'begin' before the continuous form to describe the beginning of the process.

My hair began falling out about a month after I got sick.

have + fallen out

Use the present perfect to describe a completed process with a result visible now.

Most of her baby teeth have already fallen out — she's growing up so fast!

Common Collocations

hair falls outteeth fall outfall out in clumpsfall out from stressfall out due to chemotherapyfur falls out

Common Mistakes

Using a person as the subject

With this sense, the subject must be a body part (hair, teeth, fur), not the person losing it. Saying the person 'fell out' would suggest a quarrel, not hair loss.

✗ She fell out because of stress.
✓ Her hair fell out because of stress.
Trying to use 'fall out' transitively

'Fall out' in this sense is intransitive — the hair or teeth are the subject, and there is no object. You cannot use a person or cause as the thing doing the action to the hair.

✗ The illness fell out her hair.
✓ Her hair fell out because of the illness.
Confusing with 'fall out' meaning to quarrel

The same phrasal verb can mean to have an argument, but only when the subject is a person or group. If the subject is hair, teeth, or fur, the meaning is always about detachment.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both everyday conversation and medical contexts. It is the most natural way to describe hair or teeth detaching involuntarily, and is used worldwide in both British and American English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'fall out' always need 'with'? Can I just say 'they fell out'?

Yes, you can drop the 'with' phrase when context already makes clear who was involved. 'We fell out a few years ago' is perfectly natural. You only need 'with + person' when you want to specify who the other party was.

Is 'fall out' a British expression? Will Americans understand it?

It is most common in British and Irish English. American speakers are more likely to say 'have a falling-out' to express the same idea. That said, 'fall out with someone' is broadly understood in American English even if it sounds slightly British.

Can I say 'they are falling out' to describe something happening right now?

It sounds slightly awkward in the present continuous. Because falling out describes a relationship breakdown rather than a moment-by-moment action, the simple past or present perfect tends to sound more natural — for example, 'they have fallen out' or 'they fell out last week'.

Does 'fall out' always mean an argument? I've seen it used in other ways.

Yes, 'fall out' has other meanings — for example, hair falling out or something dropping from a container. This entry covers only the interpersonal sense. The key signal for this sense is the structure 'fall out with [person]' or 'fall out over [cause]', where the subject is a person in a relationship, not a body part or object.

What's the difference between 'fall out' and 'the falling-out'?

'Fall out' is the verb — for example, 'they fell out over money'. 'A falling-out' is the noun form and is used after verbs like 'have': 'they had a falling-out over money'. Both mean the same thing and are equally natural.

Can I use 'fall out' to talk about fur on animals, not just human hair?

Yes, 'fall out' works naturally with animal fur as well. You might say 'The cat's fur is falling out' or 'His dog's coat started falling out in winter.' It's also common when talking to a vet about a pet's health.

Does 'fall out' mean the hair is completely gone, or just starting to come loose?

It can describe both. The simple past ('her hair fell out') often suggests the process happened and is complete, while the continuous form ('her hair is falling out') describes an ongoing process. Context usually makes the extent of the loss clear.

Is 'fall out' or 'come out' better when talking about hair loss?

'Fall out' is more common and specific when describing involuntary hair or tooth loss. 'Come out' can also work, but it's slightly more general and can sometimes suggest that something was pulled or removed rather than dropped naturally.

Can I say 'fall out' about baby teeth?

Yes, this is actually one of the most common uses. 'Baby teeth falling out' is completely natural and is used both by parents and doctors. It's a normal, expected process, but 'fall out' still fits because the teeth are detaching on their own.

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