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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Some progressives, including Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez, have backed away from their earlier support of police defunding. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026 Family offices were able to make opportunistic plays in oil and gas in the years after the Covid pandemic as traditional investors backed away from the sector due to pressure from environmentally conscious stakeholders. — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026 And the Justice Department has backed away from the federal government’s long-standing interpretation of a landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting the right of disabled people to receive services in their communities. — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026 Traditional fashion media may have backed away from harsh sartorial criticism, but the internet certainly hasn’t. — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026 Pomares backed away, avoiding what could have become another dangerous encounter. — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Trump responded by threatening to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum before both sides backed away. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 With officers initially unable to determine what had happened inside, police backed away, established a perimeter and treated the home as a barricaded situation. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Disney subsequently backed away from its demands and started to sell 30-second berths for $8 million to $9 million, according to people familiar with the talks. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backed away
  1. withdrew
  2. retreated
  3. retired
  4. dropped back
  5. pulled out
Verb
  • Sheeran’s remaining supporting acts—the band Lukas Graham and the singer-songwriters Aaron Rowe and Finneas—and his backing band, the Irish folk troupe Beoga, all withdrew in solidarity.
    — Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Heikes advanced when the fourth-place finisher, Democrat David Leslie, withdrew.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of withdrew
Verb
  • After Diana’s death following an August 1997 car crash, Jane retreated from the public eye.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Luckily, a Colts staffer hustled onto the field to get his attention, so Doyle retreated to the sideline and kept studying his play sheet.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of retreated
Verb
  • Marilyn retired from the Air Force and moved back to the Kansas City area in March.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Rynders has more than 29 years of experience in fire service and worked under Village President John Skillman, who retired from the Carpentersville Fire Department in 2016.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of retired
Verb
  • Mahomes dropped back just four minutes into the Chiefs’ opener against the Broncos on Monday, looked to his left and never took his eyes off his favorite target, Travis Kelce, before firing in his direction.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Hurts dropped back, hopped twice in the pocket and then tucked the ball and ran through a seam in the middle of the field for a 22-yard gain.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of dropped back
Verb
  • Another man intervened, and the two men began fighting, pulled out handguns and began firing, according to information from police.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an interview with a Hemings descendant who pulled out of the study.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of pulled out

Browse Nearby Words

backed
backed away
backed down
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Cite this Entry

“Backed away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backed%20away. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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