keep back
phrasal verb
kept back; keeping back; keeps back
: to not go near something
The police asked the spectators to keep back.
The guide told us to keep back from the edge of the cliff.
Examples of keep back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Place a few drops under your tongue or add oil to your favorite beverage to keep back pain at bay.
—
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Both paid tribute to each astronaut individually, and the Corps chief clearly had to fight to keep back tears.
—Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2023
His designs feature interior pockets, hidden pockets underneath side cargo pouches, and a Velcro enclosure alongside the entire rear which keeps back pockets safe.
—Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
Move fists one inch forward while keeping back straight and not leaning torso forward or folding and waist.
—Women's Health, 18 Aug. 2023
During the arrest, Lane held down Floyd’s legs, Kueng held down Floyd’s torso, and Thao stood nearby and kept back a crowd of upset bystanders, including an off-duty firefighter trying to render aid.
—Brad Parks, CNN, 7 Aug. 2023
Park visitors are reminded to keep back from the banks of streams, rivers and waterfalls.
—Teddy Grant, ABC News, 11 July 2023
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Both paid tribute to each astronaut individually, and the Corps chief clearly had to fight to keep back tears.
—Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2023
His designs feature interior pockets, hidden pockets underneath side cargo pouches, and a Velcro enclosure alongside the entire rear which keeps back pockets safe.
—Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
Move fists one inch forward while keeping back straight and not leaning torso forward or folding and waist.
—Women's Health, 18 Aug. 2023
During the arrest, Lane held down Floyd’s legs, Kueng held down Floyd’s torso, and Thao stood nearby and kept back a crowd of upset bystanders, including an off-duty firefighter trying to render aid.
—Brad Parks, CNN, 7 Aug. 2023
Park visitors are reminded to keep back from the banks of streams, rivers and waterfalls.
—Teddy Grant, ABC News, 11 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'keep back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near keep back
Cite this Entry
“Keep back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20back. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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