drop away

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drop away

My grades have started to drop away this semester.

Definition

Verb: - To gradually decline, diminish, or become worse in condition, quality, or intensity. It often implies a slow, steady, or unnoticed decrease.

Usage

The verb "drop away" is used to describe a process of deterioration or reduction. It is often intransitive, meaning it does not take a direct object. It can describe abstract concepts (like standards, quality, or performance) or physical phenomena (like land sloping downward).

Examples
  • Abstract Decline:
    • After the new manager took over, the company's high standards began to drop away.
    • Her interest in the project dropped away after the initial excitement faded.
  • Physical Decline/Slope:
    • The path drops away sharply towards the river, so be careful.
    • Behind the house, the land drops away into a steep valley.
Advanced Usage
  • "to drop away to nothing": To diminish completely until there is nothing left.
    • Attendance at the meetings has dropped away to nothing over the last few months.
Variants and Related Words
  • Drop off (phrasal verb): Can be a synonym for a decline in level or intensity (e.g., ). It also commonly means to deliver someone or something.
  • Fall away (phrasal verb): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "drop away" for both abstract and physical meanings.
  • Decline (verb): A more general synonym for a gradual decrease or worsening.
  • Deteriorate (verb): Emphasizes a worsening of condition or quality.
Synonyms
  • Decline
  • Deteriorate
  • Diminish
  • Fall off
  • Slacken
  • Wane
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Fall away: To diminish or disappear; to slope downward.
    • Support for the policy has fallen away in recent weeks.
  • Drop off: To decrease in amount or quality; to become less.
    • The quality of his work dropped off significantly.
Related Idioms
  • To fall by the wayside: To fail to continue, often because of difficulties. This idiom shares the concept of something being lost or not sustained.
    • Many of his New Year's resolutions fell by the wayside by February.
drop away

My grades have started to drop away this semester.

Verb
  1. get worse
    • My grades are slipping

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