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 At one point the prosecution played a video showing Mr. Baldwin — dressed as the outlaw Harland Rust — shooting blanks from a revolver while backing away. Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 But Ellison had backed away from Hollywood in 2019 after a series of missteps and become elusive even to some of her own executives. Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Stand with the side of your body toward the dog. Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly. Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2024 After getting up from the floor, Young puts his arms out to his side and starts to back away from the agent. Craig Shoup, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 According to Armstrong, a fight followed, and when Alvarez backed away, pulled out a gun and told Fierro to stop, Fierro kept coming at him. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024 Fidelity’s venture raised the hackles of Democratic Sens. Richard Durbin of Illinois and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who urged the firm to back away from its 401(k) option. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The problem with backing away from pressuring the auto industry today to develop EV technology is that America will lose the overall manufacturing lead. Detroit Free Press, 19 Feb. 2024 However, the judge backed away from an earlier ruling that would have dissolved the former president’s companies. Michael R. Sisak, Jake Offenhartz, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back away.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near back away

Cite this Entry

“Back away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20away. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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