# fall back on

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fall-back-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to use something as a backup plan when your first choice fails.

For teachers: to resort to a secondary resource or alternative plan when the primary option is no longer available or successful; implies a sense of security or a safety net.

## Examples

- If I don't get the job, I can fall back on my savings.
- When the GPS stopped working in the mountains, they had to fall back on an old paper map.
- The government was forced to fall back on emergency reserves after the primary supply chain was disrupted by the strike.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He fell back his family for help." but "He fell back on his family for help." — the preposition 'on' is essential to complete the meaning of this phrasal verb.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun representing a resource, such as money, a skill, or a person.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'resort to', which often has a more negative or desperate connotation; 'fall back on' suggests a prepared or reliable backup.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.