Fall off the Wagon.
English
idiom
To return to a bad habit after quitting it.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To return to a bad habit after quitting it.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To return to a bad habit after a period of successfully avoiding it.
When you fall off the wagon, you stop maintaining a commitment — usually to sobriety, a diet, or another form of self-discipline — and go back to the behavior you were trying to stop.
It is most commonly used in the context of giving up alcohol.
"On the Wagon"
—
Abstaining from alcohol or another habit — the opposite of falling off the wagon
"Slip Up"
—
Making a small mistake or lapse, often used for minor setbacks rather than a full return to a habit
"Fall off the Wagon"
—
Returning to a bad habit after a period of successfully avoiding it
I fell off the wagon last weekend — I'd been doing so well for two months.
One slip doesn't erase two months of effort — just get back on track tomorrow.
I've fallen off the wagon with my exercise routine three times already this year.
The key is how fast you get back on — don't wait for Monday, just restart today.
Are you still doing the intermittent fasting?
I fell off the wagon during the holidays but I'm starting again this week.
