noun · 8 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈfɔːlaʊt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈfɔlˌaʊt/
CMU ARPABET:F AO1 L AW2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The event of small airborne particles falling to the ground in significant quantities as a result of major industrial activity, volcano eruption, sandstorm, nuclear explosion, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The particles themselves.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
On 26 April 1986 the reactor number four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant located in the Soviet Union near Pripyat in Ukraine exploded. Further explosions and the resulting fire sent a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere and over an extensive geographical area.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A negative side effect; an undesirable or unexpected consequence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Psychological fallout in the shadow of terrorism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: blowback, repercussions
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A declined offer in a sales transaction when acceptance was presumed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, rare, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The person who declines such an offer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, rare, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An impromptu guest used to fill in for another guest spot who is a no-show or who has cancelled last minute.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: broadcasting, media, radio, television
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
any adverse and unwanted secondary effect
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a strategy to contain the fallout from the accounting scandal
