- To fail to keep up with a required pace, schedule, workload, or payments.
Explanation
Origin
- Comes from the literal sense of physically lagging behind others in a race or group.
- Metaphorically applied to situations where progress over time is expected (work, studies, bills).
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Be in the weeds (Overwhelmed and struggling to keep up, common in busy jobs)
- Be swamped / Be buried (Overloaded, implying falling behind is likely)
Milder/Standard:
- I'm a bit behind.
- We're lagging on the timeline.
- Running late (for a schedule/deadline)
More Formal:
- Experiencing delays.
- Not meeting milestones.
- In arrears (specifically for payments)
Situational Appropriateness
- Appropriate in most contexts – work, school, personal finance, projects.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Generally straightforward. Ensure context clarifies *what* has fallen behind (e.g., schedule, payments, learning).
Examples
- If you miss too many lectures, you'll quickly fall behind in the course.
- The project fell behind schedule due to unexpected technical issues.
- He fell behind on his mortgage payments after losing his job.
Dialogue
Teacher: Mark, your assignments are consistently late. You're starting to fall behind.
Mark: I know, Ms. Evans. I've been struggling to manage my time with my part-time job.
Teacher: We need to find a solution. Let's talk after class about how you can catch up.
Mark: Okay, thank you.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Feeling overwhelmed... totally fell behind on emails this week. If you're waiting for a reply, sorry! Catching up ASAP. #worklife #inboxzeroFail
- Student Forum: Anyone else falling behind on the readings for HIST 101? That textbook is dense! #studybuddy #collegeproblems
Response Patterns
- Oh no, how far behind are you?
- Is there anything I can do to help you catch up?
- That's not good. Try to prioritize.
- What caused the delay?
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone states they (or something) fell behind:
- Ask for details (Behind on what exactly?, How much time have we lost?).
- Offer assistance (Need help catching up?, Can I take anything off your plate?).
- Discuss solutions (What's the plan to get back on track?).
The person who fell behind might:
- Explain the reason.
- Outline their plan to catch up.
Conversation Starter
- No. Usually arises when discussing progress or lack thereof.
Intonation
- Stress is usually on FALL and BEHIND. Don't FALL beHIND.
- Tone often conveys concern, warning, or disappointment.
Generation Differences
- Universally understood and used.
Regional Variations
- Common across all English-speaking regions.