Fallbacks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A set of alternative strategies or solutions designed for use when main plans fail
2. Contingency options that provide support or a secondary choice in case of difficulties
3. Backup measures that can be implemented if primary approaches do not succeed

Etymology: "Fallbacks" is the plural of "fallback," a noun formed from the phrasal verb "fall back," which means to retreat or withdraw, or to rely on something held in reserve. The noun carries that sense of a retreat into a prepared position: a fallback was originally a place or line one could withdraw to when an advance failed, and the plural refers to several such positions or options held ready. Over time the sense moved from the physical to the abstract. A military retreat to a secondary defensive line gave way to a plan kept in reserve in case the first one collapses, so the plural now names a set of backup strategies rather than a set of places to retreat to. The word's core idea of falling back on something dependable remains intact.

Synonyms: alternatives, options, backup plans, substitutes, rescues