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fallen

/ˈfɔlən/
/ˈfɔlɪn/
IPA guide

Something that's fallen has dropped to the ground. You might collect fallen apples to make into cider or applesauce.

The most literal sense of something fallen is just what it sounds like — an object that's moved from a high place to a lower place, usually due to gravity. There are also some figurative meanings: a fallen soldier has died on the battlefield, and a fallen person has committed a moral sin or ruined his reputation. In the 17th century, fallen frequently meant "morally ruined," more often describing a women than a man.

Definitions of fallen
  1. adjective
    having dropped by the force of gravity
    fallen leaves covered the forest floor”
    “sat on a fallen tree trunk”
    synonyms:
    down
    being or moving lower in position or less in some value
  2. adjective
    having fallen in or collapsed
    “a fallen building”
    synonyms:
    destroyed
    spoiled or ruined or demolished
  3. adjective
    killed in battle
    “to honor fallen soldiers”
    synonyms:
    dead
    no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
  4. adjective
    having lost your chastity
    synonyms:
    unchaste
    not chaste
Pronunciation
US
/ˈfɔlən/
UK
/ˈfɔlɪn/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fallen'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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