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

Their departures from the team this offseason have led many a scarred Ranger fan to believe the franchise is taking a big step back, and to retire the hope that in this era of current MLB spending the team will compete for a World Series any time soon. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025

Investors stepped back into the market, making up 18% of transactions, up from 13% in November 2024. —Diana Olick, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2025

The renaming comes five years after Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back from their senior royal roles in early 2020. —Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took a step back from being working royals, the decision was painted as one that had more to do with mental health than anything. —Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 18 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for step back

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback