BACKED AWAY Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

backed away

verb

past tense of back away

as in withdrew

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of backed away The unidentified man backed away from Martin, still chewing the cigarette, and waved to the camera before the broadcast cut away. —

Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2026 The following week, the benchmark climbed more than 5% as the White House backed away from the most aggressive proposals. —

Fred Imbert, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026 After a short struggle, Delgado backed away from Broom, pulled his gun from his holster and ordered her to drop the knife, according to the report. —

David Goodhue march 9, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026 The decision comes as other global insurers have backed away from underwriting maritime trade activity in the Gulf amid concerns that vessels could become collateral damage in the Iran war. —

Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026 Since the drawing of that second majority-black district, the state has backed away from that map, hoping to return to a plan that provides for only one majority-minority district. —

Zoe Sobel, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026 While some of the most powerful companies that once championed their diversity policies have now backed away from them and most have scrapped references to DEI, diversity advocates say many of the core policies continue today. —

Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026 Town officials eventually stopped paying the fee and tribal officials threatened, but ultimately backed away, from barricading the roads again in early 2025. —

Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026 In some cases, extra vigilance means that faculty have backed away from initial commitments. —

Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 30 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backed away

Verb

The streaming giant’s stock price doesn’t yet reflect it, but analysts’ uniformly positive reaction is perhaps the biggest vote of confidence by the Street since Netflix last month withdrew its proposal to acquire Warner Bros.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The wars in Iran and Ukraine will be top of the agenda, while South Africa, which was supposed to attend as an observing nation, says France withdrew its G7 invitation after the US threatened to boycott.

— Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026