drop back
verb
dropped back; dropping back; drops back
1
: retreat
2
: to move straight back from the line of scrimmage
the quarterback drops back to pass
Examples of drop back in a Sentence
a change in the wind direction forced the firefighters to drop back
Recent Examples on the Web
After hitting his glove, the ball hit the top of the fence, and then dropped back into Frelick's glove.
—
Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Fields dropped back four straight times on New York’s final four plays of the game.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
When Herbert took the shotgun snap and dropped back, his height improved his ability to feel the pressure to his right yet also gauge developments upfield.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
The first one came in Week 1, when Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa never saw Latu drop back in coverage and threw it straight to him; the second came against the Raiders when Smith had a pass tipped by defensive tackle Grover Stewart, and the ball landed right in Latu’s arms.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drop back
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Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Fields dropped back four straight times on New York’s final four plays of the game.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
When Herbert took the shotgun snap and dropped back, his height improved his ability to feel the pressure to his right yet also gauge developments upfield.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
The first one came in Week 1, when Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa never saw Latu drop back in coverage and threw it straight to him; the second came against the Raiders when Smith had a pass tipped by defensive tackle Grover Stewart, and the ball landed right in Latu’s arms.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drop back
Cite this Entry
“Drop back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop%20back. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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