beat back
verb
beat back; beaten back or beat back; beating back; beats back
: to force (someone) to go back or to retreat by fighting
Our troops were beaten back by enemy forces.
Police used batons to beat the protesters back.
Examples of beat back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The most recent of those votes came Wednesday, when the upper chamber easily beat back a Democratic war powers resolution by a tally of 47 to 52, largely on partisan lines.
—
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the following day.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Armies of volunteers are working to beat back buffelgrass.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
In the days and weeks after the 2024 mass shooting, Republicans moved quickly to beat back possible gun restrictions.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beat back
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Mike Lillis, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the following day.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Armies of volunteers are working to beat back buffelgrass.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
In the days and weeks after the 2024 mass shooting, Republicans moved quickly to beat back possible gun restrictions.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beat back
Cite this Entry
“Beat back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beat%20back. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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