falling-out 1 of 2

noun

ˌfȯ-liŋ-ˈau̇t How to pronounce falling-out (audio)
Definition of falling-outnext
as in altercation
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the two friends have been lonely and miserable since they had a falling-out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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falling out

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fall out
1
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily club members were soon falling out about how to spend the money they'd made washing cars

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in proving
to come to be I had planned to have a sports career, but things fell out otherwise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of falling-out
Noun
Jones and Richards had a falling-out over actress and model Anita Pallenberg, who was Jones’s girlfriend before Richards moved in on her. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026 Pop is pure feeling, and U chronicles falling-outs, friendzonings, and other emotional events that are small in the grand scheme of life but still excruciating. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 28 May 2026
Verb
The Giants, however, first have to focus on preventing the bottom from falling out. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026 But with only eight games left and after falling out of the AL Central lead, that’s easier said than done. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for falling-out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling-out
  1. altercation
  2. bickering
  3. proving
  4. quarrel
  5. fighting
  6. coming out
  7. dispute
  8. arguing
Noun
  • One of Bonner's friends appeared to get into an argument with the third man as the second male friend attempted to hold him back from an altercation.
    — Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Chicago Alderman Michelle Harris said at Sunday's community vigil that the suspect had allegedly gotten into an altercation with staff at a wireless store in the Chatham neighborhood just before the fatal stabbing, WLS reported.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercation
Verb
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bickering
Verb
  • SpaceX's foray into renting out AI compute this year is proving to be a lucrative endeavor for a company best known for its Starlink internet service and rocket ambitions.
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Later that same year, the researchers coupled their thorium apparatus to an optical atomic clock, proving that these excited nuclei can serve as high-precision timekeepers.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of proving
Noun
  • The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.
    — THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of quarrel
Verb
  • Yemeni government forces – backed by Saudi airstrikes and a blockade of Houthi areas – started fighting the Houthis more than a decade ago.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Tigray Peace Force is fighting alongside federal troops against the TPLF.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of fighting
Verb
  • Still, the fact that a movie is coming out that will get people talking about our relationship to Facebook and Instagram feels significant in its own right.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Police said security camera footage showed the man believed to be the suspect entering the hotel with the victim and coming out alone.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of coming out
Noun
  • Seaver’s dispute with Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager and the sole manager of She’s Alive LLC, first spilled into public view when Nozell sued him last month and sought the restraining order.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Sentara Health, a hospital system in Virginia with more than $14 billion of revenue, recently went through a contract dispute with Anthem, the health plan owned by Elevance Health.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispute
Verb
  • Savan Pourharton wants to sell beer from the GG Mart on Farmington Avenue at Wannowmassa Lane, arguing that the convenience store part of his business could qualify as a grocery store.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing that allowing the case to move forward prevents the lower court from considering Pike’s allegations from her childhood.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of arguing

Browse Nearby Words

falling on one's face
falling-out
falling out
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Cite this Entry

“Falling-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falling-out. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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