drop away
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.
Verb
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get worse
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My grades are slipping
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