noun
fallout
FAW-lowt
noun
1
Radioactive dust and debris that settles after a nuclear explosion.
"Fallout from the blast contaminated the surrounding countryside for years."
2
The unpleasant or unexpected consequences of an event or decision.
"The political fallout from the scandal cost him his job."
How to Use Fallout
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literal radioactive dust after a nuclear blast, or the wider negative consequences of an event.
Common pairings
nuclear fallout
political fallout
fallout from a scandal
Word Forms
fallouts plural
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_____ from the blast contaminated the surrounding countryside for years.
Etymology
From the phrasal verb fall out, combined into a single noun.