falling significantly behind

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "falling significantly behind" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where someone or something is not keeping up with a standard, expectation, or competitor. Example: "Due to the recent changes in the market, our company is falling significantly behind our competitors in terms of innovation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Given the reduction in government incentives, the pace of growth of plug-in cars is now falling significantly behind the EU average.

The Guardian - Business

"We're all getting short on cash because of what happened last year" with the state falling significantly behind on reimbursing school districts.

The New York Times

"Why are we doing that?" The RAND study also found that pay for midcareer military personnel tended to stagnate, falling significantly behind private-sector salaries for people with comparable education.

The New York Times

Manager Pedro Caixinha faces a summer of rebuilding, having succeeded Mark Warburton in February with the club falling significantly behind champions Celtic in the Premiership.

BBC

In reality, though, there was very little to pick between the top four (Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Now and Netflix), with only YouTube TV falling significantly behind.

Forbes

In doing so UNICEF's Office of Research tries to estimate what percentage of children are falling significantly behind what can be considered normal for their own societies.

Unicef

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Gene Russianoff, the staff lawyer for the Straphangers Campaign, a rider advocacy group, said the on-time performance figures were misleading because trains often fall significantly behind schedule at the middle of their routes, especially in Midtown Manhattan, where crowds can be thickest.

The New York Times

A12 U.S. Lags in Climate Science In little more than a decade, the United States has fallen significantly behind other countries in its ability to simulate and predict long-term shifts in climate, according to a wide range of scientists and recent federal studies.

The New York Times

Yet, they fall significantly behind US firms when it comes to earning power.

Forbes

This attainment gap is a problem that starts very early on, with experts saying that even before turning two, poor children have already fallen significantly behind in development.

BBC

The chief inspector also: Confirmed that schools will not be rated as outstanding by inspectors if pupils on free school meals fall significantly behind others.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To strengthen your writing, consider quantifying how far behind something is. This gives a clearer picture of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "falling significantly behind" without specifying a clear benchmark or standard. A vague comparison weakens the statement and lacks precision. Instead of saying "The project is falling significantly behind", specify "The project is falling significantly behind the original deadline".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "falling significantly behind" functions as a descriptive phrase indicating a state of lagging or trailing notably in comparison to a benchmark, standard, or competitor. Ludwig AI confirms this through examples where it's used to describe various entities' performance relative to others.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "falling significantly behind" effectively communicates that something is lagging or trailing notably compared to a standard or expectation. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and usability. While the phrase is used across various contexts, it's most common in news and media. To maximize impact, ensure you specify what the subject is lagging behind and, if possible, quantify the extent of the difference. Alternatives such as "lagging considerably" or "trailing substantially" can offer nuanced variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

falling behind by a large margin

Explicitly states the extent of being behind, emphasizing the "large margin".

lagging considerably

Replaces "falling" with "lagging" and "significantly" with "considerably", altering the descriptive words while keeping the core meaning.

trailing substantially

Uses "trailing" instead of "falling" and "substantially" instead of "significantly", providing a different nuance in the phrasing.

slipping far behind

Employs "slipping" for "falling" and "far" for "significantly", suggesting a gradual decline.

losing considerable ground

Focuses on the loss of progress or position, using "considerable" to highlight the magnitude of the loss.

being outstripped notably

Replaces "falling" with "being outstripped" and "significantly" with "notably", offering a more formal tone.

getting left in the dust

An idiomatic expression implying being outpaced or surpassed to a great extent.

dropping considerably back

Emphasizes the act of "dropping" and specifies the direction as "back", adding a sense of regression.

waning substantially in comparison

Suggests a diminishing state relative to others, using "waning" and "substantially" for emphasis.

receding markedly

Uses "receding" to indicate moving away from a leading position, with "markedly" emphasizing the extent.

FAQs

What does it mean for something to be "falling significantly behind"?

It means that something is lagging notably or trailing substantially compared to a standard, expectation, or competitor. It indicates a noticeable gap in progress or performance.

What are some alternatives to saying "falling significantly behind"?

You can use alternatives like "lagging considerably", "trailing substantially", or "slipping far behind" to convey a similar meaning.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use the phrase "falling significantly behind"?

This phrase is appropriate in various contexts, including business, academics, and general discussions where you need to describe a situation where something is not keeping pace or meeting expectations.

How can I make my use of "falling significantly behind" more impactful?

Provide specific details about what is being compared and the extent of the difference. For example, instead of saying "Sales are falling significantly behind", say "Sales are "falling significantly behind" projections by 20%".