back away

verb

backed away; backing away; backs away

intransitive verb

: to move away (as from a stand on an issue or from a commitment)

Examples of back away in a Sentence

backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sometimes the animal will also become stiff due to stress or roll up into a ball and back away from people. Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Sep. 2025 McIlroy backed away, drawing jeers, before Lowry came over to settle him. Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025 Benson, however, remained hesitant and eventually fully backed away. Alex Ross, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025 Finally, the board will have the good sense to just snap their host laptop shut, but not before a wickedly riotous 10 minutes or so in which absolutely no one backs away from the keyboard. Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for back away

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back away was in 1833

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Cite this Entry

“Back away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20away. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

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