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

Prices for diesel, the workhorse fuel that powers trucks, tractors, trains and construction vehicles, hit all-time highs last month but has since backed away a bit. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Mamdani made a rent freeze one of his signature issues on the campaign trail, but has backed away from making many public statements about it as mayor, under the threat of legal action. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

Heim held out his arms in self-defense while trying to back away and de-escalate the situation. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026

Some progressives, including Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez, have backed away from their earlier support of police defunding. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 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