step back

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

After a few moments, the man approaches the firefighter, who shrugs and starts to step back toward the truck. — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

The man with the two dogs is then seen stepping back as the two agents handcuff the man on the sidewalk. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

The policy published Wednesday is a step back from HHS' original plan, according to two of the people who discussed its development. — Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026

Today, Dangerfield has largely stepped back from far-right politics and her once-promising streaming career. — Nathan Taylor Pemberton, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for step back

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