Meaning & use

fell

verb·Everyday

Simple past tense of fall: moved down quickly to a lower position due to gravity or loss of balance.

See it in a sentence

She fell on the icy sidewalk and sprained her wrist.

The old oak tree finally fell during last night's powerful storm.

A note on using this word

Fell is also a separate verb meaning to cut down a tree, as in 'workers felled the dead oak,' unrelated to the past tense of fall.

Words with a similar meaning

droppedtumbled

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. verb

To cut down a tree, or to knock someone or something down with force.

Loggers felled dozens of pines to clear the new road.

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