as in to withdraw
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully
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Recent Examples of back away
With his gun raised, Bloemendaal backs away from the armed man and instructs his fellow officers to do the same.
—
Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Trump instead floated the idea of launching lower-level talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican, which are scheduled for mid-June, and backed away from the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Moscow.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
The tentative new deal would reportedly allow anyone making less than $500,000 a year to claim the SALT deduction but would not be doubled for married couples, a key demand that the suburban lawmakers have apparently now backed away from.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Trump backed away, softened the tone of his relationship with Fed Chair Powell and moved on to tilt with other windmills.
—Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for back away
Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Trump instead floated the idea of launching lower-level talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican, which are scheduled for mid-June, and backed away from the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Moscow.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
The tentative new deal would reportedly allow anyone making less than $500,000 a year to claim the SALT deduction but would not be doubled for married couples, a key demand that the suburban lawmakers have apparently now backed away from.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Trump backed away, softened the tone of his relationship with Fed Chair Powell and moved on to tilt with other windmills.
—Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for back away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back away
Verb
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The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has urged Tehran to allow the agency to inspect the sites, but Iran is yet to agree, and has threatened to withdraw cooperation with the watchdog.—
Claire Cameron,
semafor.com,
24 June 2025
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Israel is under pressure from its own to withdraw from Gaza over humanitarian concerns.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2025
Verb
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The rally came as oil prices retreated from recent highs amid reports that Iran seeks to de-escalate tensions with Israel.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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While Shell has retreated from some of its low-carbon ventures, the company remains committed to EVs and has more than 75,000 charge points across the world.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
17 June 2025
Verb
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With a 3-over 73 on his 29th birthday, the triple-bogey on No. 1 being his first since the 2024 BMW Championship, Scheffler fell back to the cluster at 7-under.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2025
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Ever since that buzzy vodka cocktail fell back into favor in 2021—and flew onto cocktail menus around the world—java is popping up all over menus in classic and unexpected ways.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2025
Verb
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When Stanley was hired in 1999, the city provided health-insurance subsidies up to age 65 for firefighters who retired after 25 years of service or who retired because of disabilities, according to court documents.—
Jim Saunders,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2025
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Gary retired from acting in 1979 — except for briefly reprising the role of Ellen in the 1987 film Jaws: The Revenge.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The child tax credit is currently $2,000 but will drop back to $1,000 at the end of this year if not extended.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
17 June 2025
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Messi dropped back as a deep-lying playmaker in the second half and was more effective, splitting the Colombia backline with precise passing.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Back away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20away. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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