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)

Synonyms of back away

• withdraw
• retreat
• fall back
• retire
• drop back

Examples of back away in a Sentence

backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully

Recent Examples on the Web

So, Moorehead had Lemon stand in the huddles — as a 12th player — and back away from the action when the others went to run the play. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Family offices were able to make opportunistic plays in oil and gas in the years after the Covid pandemic as traditional investors backed away from the sector due to pressure from environmentally conscious stakeholders. — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026

And the Justice Department has backed away from the federal government’s long-standing interpretation of a landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting the right of disabled people to receive services in their communities. — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026

Her fiery locks were pulled back away from her face at the top, but still cascaded down her back in soft mermaid waves. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for back away

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway