step back
phrasal verb
stepped back; stepping back; steps back
: to stop doing something or being actively involved in something for a time so in order to think about it and make decisions in a calm and reasonable way
You need to step back and give yourself some time to work through this.
Examples of step back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Six bison stepped back onto their homeland for the first time in more than a century.
—
Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Challenges such as a Dry January are a good opportunity to take a step back and break down the role alcohol plays in your life.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Mullins made his first three shots, two 3-pointers, to key a 10-6 run at the start of the overtime period before Stewart found Reed for an open layup and Demary stepped back for the fadeaway mid-range shot that sealed it.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said officials should take a step back before making any pronouncements.
—Claudia Lauer, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step back
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Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Challenges such as a Dry January are a good opportunity to take a step back and break down the role alcohol plays in your life.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Mullins made his first three shots, two 3-pointers, to key a 10-6 run at the start of the overtime period before Stewart found Reed for an open layup and Demary stepped back for the fadeaway mid-range shot that sealed it.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said officials should take a step back before making any pronouncements.
—Claudia Lauer, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for step back
Cite this Entry
“Step back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20back. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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