fall by the wayside
To fail to be completed, particularly for lack of interest; to be left out, to suffer from neglect.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Many of my old hobbies fall by the wayside as I get busier.”
“My New Year's resolutions usually fall by the wayside by February.”
“Because the team focused only on the most profitable projects, the smaller, creative ideas fell by the wayside.”
“When the company faced a financial crisis, their plans to build a new staff gym fell by the wayside to save money.”
“In the rush to modernize the city, many of the traditional local customs have unfortunately fallen by the wayside.”
The expression derives from the Parable of the Sower, recorded in Matthew 13:4 and Luke 8:5. As the sower scatters seed, some falls by the wayside — on the path or roadside — where it is trodden underfoot and eaten by birds before it can take root and grow.
In the parable this seed represents an effort that comes to nothing. Over time the phrase broadened beyond its farming image to describe any person or plan that drops out, fails, or is abandoned along the way rather than reaching its goal.
- 01
catch a falling knife
To buy a financial instrument whose price is falling rapidly.
- 02
fall apart
To be emotionally in crisis.
- 03
fall around
To fall over continually, especially through drunkenness, clumsiness, or incompetence.
- 04
fall asleep
To be affected by paresthesia; to go numb.
- 05
fall at the last hurdle
To fail near the end of an activity, a project, etc.
- 06
fall behind
To be late (for a regular event)
- 07
fall between the cracks
To wind up in an unexpected situation which is, inadvertently, invisible to or not handled by whatever process one had hoped to be subject to; to be overlooked.
- 08
fall between two stools
To fit into neither of two categories and, hence, be neglected or fail.
The short stories Jesus told to make a point.
- 01
good Samaritan (idiom)
A person who helps someone in distress out of their own good nature.
- 02
the prodigal son (idiom)
Someone who returns, chastened and repentant, after a period of reckless or wasteful living.
- 03
the eleventh hour (idiom)
The very last possible moment before a deadline or a decisive event.
- 04
separate the wheat from the chaff (idiom)
To select only that which is of value.
- 05
a house built on sand (idiom)
A plan or venture with no solid foundation, liable to collapse under pressure.
- 06
the widow's mite (idiom)
A small gift that represents a great sacrifice for the person who gives it.
Last updated August 10, 2026