fall behind rivals

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fall behind rivals" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize a lack of progress compared to competitors in a particular field. For example, "The company's sales have been declining and they are now falling behind rivals in the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Anxious Arsenal: The three key issues The self-sustaining model The complaint Arsenal are determined only to spend what they can generate, but that has seen them fall behind rivals.

Independent

While its publicly listed rivals have spent the last two years cutting prices (and profit margins) to win back shoppers, Asda has focused on defending its profitability rather than market share with an efficiency drive that has seen it fall behind rivals in both the quality and availability of its food.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The investment firm aimed to stage a turnaround for the company, which had fallen behind rivals like McDonald's.

The New York Times

The economic and scientific efforts necessary to avoid falling behind rivals in the invention and development of rapidly improving weapons of mass destruction have already reached unprecedented heights.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Mr. Gold at the META Group said Nokia had fallen behind rivals, particularly in expensive phones, in a market that had "changed drastically".

The New York Times - Tech

Gaining size by aligning with partners is especially important for the pharmaceuticals business, which in recent years has fallen behind rivals.

The New York Times

The decline had alarmed some investors, who had criticized Tesco for falling behind rivals at home while putting money into an expansion abroad, including into the United States, that failed to pay off.

The New York Times

Japanese electronics companies, which in recent years have been falling behind rivals from South Korea and Taiwan in businesses like televisions and laptop computers, were hit hard in the global economic crisis as sales evaporated and a strong yen ate into profits.

The New York Times

The company has fallen behind rivals on the web, and CEO Richard Glynn admitted the transition as it tries to catch up online has had a "greater disruptive influence" than expected.

The Guardian - Business

Western Wireless has also fallen behind rivals in upgrading to digital service, making it more expensive to compete with nationwide networks that carry more voice and data traffic, they said.

The New York Times

TOKYO -- Buoyed by a long-awaited turnaround in its television and video game businesses, Sony said Thursday it swung to a net profit of Japanese electronics companies, which in recent years have been falling behind rivals from South Korea and Taiwan in key businesses like TVs and laptop computers, were hit hard in the global economic crisis as sales evaporated and a strong yen ate into profits.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a company or team's performance, use "fall behind rivals" to indicate they are underperforming compared to their competition. For instance, “Due to poor marketing, the new product is falling behind rivals in sales”.

Common error

Avoid using "fall behind rivals" when you mean to say something is not on time. Instead, use "fall behind schedule". For instance, say "The project is falling behind schedule", not "The project is falling behind rivals".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fall behind rivals" functions as a verb phrase indicating a comparison of performance or progress relative to competing entities. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. The phrase highlights a state of being less successful or advanced than others.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fall behind rivals" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase that signifies a decline in performance or progress compared to competitors. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use is appropriate across a range of contexts, especially in news and media, formal business settings, and scientific discussions. Common related phrases include "lag behind competitors" and "lose ground to competitors". A key writing tip is to avoid confusing it with "fall behind schedule", which refers to timing rather than relative performance. Ludwig examples come from authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, illustrating its widespread acceptance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lag behind competitors

This alternative focuses on the slow pace relative to others, highlighting the delayed progress.

fail to keep up with rivals

This alternative underlines the inability to maintain the same speed or progress as competitors.

lose ground to competitors

This phrase emphasizes the loss of advantage or position in comparison to rivals.

be outpaced by competitors

This alternative stresses the faster progress of the competitors, leading to being overtaken.

be overtaken by competitors

This option focuses on the action of rivals passing and exceeding the subject's position.

trail competitors

This option uses a sports-related metaphor to convey the idea of following behind in a competition.

be surpassed by rivals

This emphasizes that the competitors have exceeded the level or achievement of the subject.

decline relative to competitors

This phrase points out a reduction in status or performance when compared to rivals.

cede leadership to competitors

This alternative indicates giving up a leading position and allowing rivals to take over.

relinquish advantage to rivals

This phrase accentuates surrendering a beneficial position to the competition.

FAQs

What does "fall behind rivals" mean?

"Fall behind rivals" means to make less progress than your competitors, resulting in a disadvantage.

How can I use "fall behind rivals" in a sentence?

You can use "fall behind rivals" to describe a situation where a company, team, or individual is not performing as well as their competitors. For example: "If we don't innovate, we risk falling behind rivals."

What are some alternatives to "fall behind rivals"?

Some alternatives include "lag behind competitors", "lose ground to competitors", or "be outpaced by competitors".

Is it better to use "fall behind rivals" or "fall behind competitors"?

Both "fall behind rivals" and "fall behind competitors" are correct and convey essentially the same meaning. The choice often depends on the specific context and desired nuance.