Phrase guide

spring forward, fall back

phrase · 1 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌspɹɪŋ ˈfɔːwəd ˌfɔːl ˈbæk/
  • General-American: /ˌspɹɪŋ ˈfɔɹwəɹd ˌfɔl ˈbæk/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æk

1

phrase

Meaning 1

Used to recall how timepieces are adjusted for daylight saving time: Local time goes forward in the spring (usually by one hour), and back in fall (autumn).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: mnemonic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spring ahead, fall behind

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

A pun on spring (“(noun) season of the year in temperate regions in which plants spring from the ground and into bloom and dormant animals spring to life; (verb) to move or burst forth”) and US English fall (“(noun) season of the year in temperate regions when the leaves typically fall from the trees; (verb) to move to a lower position under the effect of gravity”).

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kelloja siirretään kesää kohti — used to recall how clocks, etc., are adjusted for daylight saving time