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

When the world reopened, Liu stepped back into the limelight after a growth spurt that made what once seemed effortless a little trickier. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026

For Kate Middleton and Prince William, royal duties take a back seat to parenting their children, as shown by how William stepped back from his duties during the princess’ cancer treatments, according to a royal author. —Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026

Other automakers that have gone all-in on EVs are beginning to take steps back. —Charles Singh, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026

Taking a step back, the EB-XQ2030B represents a subtle but important shift in projection. —New Atlas, 11 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for step back

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