Phrase guide

fall for

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To be fooled by; to walk into (a trap) or respond to (a scam or trick).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I can't believe how many people still fall for the coin glued to the sidewalk.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To fall in love with.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • He really fell for the attractive waitress at his favorite restaurant.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

fall in love with; become infatuated with

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She fell for the man from Brazil

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

4

verb

Meaning 4

be deceived, duped, or entrapped by

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He fell for her charms
  • He fell for the con man's story

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: err, mistake, slip

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِنْخَدَعَ بِـ (inḵadaʕa bi-) — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Catalan: caure — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Czech: nachytat se — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Danish: falde for — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Dutch: intrappen — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Dutch: intuinen — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Dutch: instinken — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Finnish: mennä ansaan — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Finnish: tulla huijatuksi — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Finnish: langeta — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • French: tomber dans le piège — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • French: tomber dans le panneau — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • German: auf etwas hereinfallen — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Hebrew: נָפַל בַּפַּח (nafál bappáẖ) — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Hungarian: bedől — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Italian: cascarci — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Japanese: 引っかかる (hikkakaru) — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Norwegian Bokmål: falle for — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Portuguese: cair em — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Romanian: lasă păcălit — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: comerse — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: caer — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: entrar como un caballo — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: comérsela enterita — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: tragar entero — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: creer a pies juntillas — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: creer a pie juntillas — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: creer a pie juntillo — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: caer redondo — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Spanish: caer redondito — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Tagalog: maloko — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Turkish: kanmak — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Turkish: inanmak — To be fooled by; to walk into a trap or respond to a scam or trick
  • Arabic: تَهَافَتَ عَلَى (tahāfata ʕalā) — To fall in love with
  • Catalan: encapritxar-se — To fall in love with
  • Catalan: encaterinar-se — To fall in love with
  • Czech: zamilovat se — To fall in love with
  • Danish: falde for — To fall in love with
  • Danish: forelske sig i — To fall in love with
  • Dutch: vallen voor — To fall in love with
  • Finnish: rakastua — To fall in love with
  • Finnish: ihastua — To fall in love with
  • French: s’énamourer — To fall in love with
  • French: s’enamourer — To fall in love with
  • German: sich in jemanden verlieben — To fall in love with
  • German: sich in jemanden verknallen — To fall in love with
  • German: sich vernarren — To fall in love with
  • Japanese: 惚れる (horeru) — To fall in love with
  • Norwegian Bokmål: falle for — To fall in love with
  • Portuguese: apaixonar-se por — To fall in love with
  • Romanian: muri după — To fall in love with
  • Russian: втре́скаться (vtréskatʹsja) — To fall in love with
  • Russian: втре́скиваться (vtréskivatʹsja) — To fall in love with
  • Slovene: zaljubiti se — To fall in love with
  • Spanish: enamorarse — To fall in love with
  • Turkish: aşık olmak — To fall in love with
  • Vietnamese: yêu — To fall in love with