as in withdrawing
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 backing away
Finally, the city is now backing away from its idea to charge to drive into Mission Bay Park and is instead looking at other options for solving its budget crisis.
—
Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
In a nation backing away from previous diversity commitments, there is little societal pressure for NFL owners to be better.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
At least six city councilors, Culpepper, Ed Flynn, Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy and Brian Worrell, swiftly issued statements or wrote to Wu administration officials expressing concern about backing away from prior commitments made to the majority-Black and brown community.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Videos show the officers backing away, some with guns drawn.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
After initially backing away, the boy stabbed Gutierrez three times, authorities said.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
While backing away, the victim eventually collapsed, and Thurman walked away toward a different car.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Even as the legislation headed for victory in the Senate, some House members started backing away.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
In a nation backing away from previous diversity commitments, there is little societal pressure for NFL owners to be better.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
At least six city councilors, Culpepper, Ed Flynn, Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy and Brian Worrell, swiftly issued statements or wrote to Wu administration officials expressing concern about backing away from prior commitments made to the majority-Black and brown community.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Videos show the officers backing away, some with guns drawn.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
After initially backing away, the boy stabbed Gutierrez three times, authorities said.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
While backing away, the victim eventually collapsed, and Thurman walked away toward a different car.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Even as the legislation headed for victory in the Senate, some House members started backing away.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backing away
Verb
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In the wake of the Pretti shooting by Border Patrol agents, Homan announced last week that 700 immigration enforcement officials would start withdrawing from Minnesota.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
12 Feb. 2026
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The men allegedly cased banks to prey on people who were withdrawing or depositing money at banks, according to the release.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Advertisement The ability to sit face to face, to listen as much as to argue, to disagree without retreating into caricature is a prerequisite for meaningful action.—
Alan H.H. Fleischmann,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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Defeat at Fort Necessity Washington then made the fateful decision to dig in and call for reinforcements instead of retreating in the face of inevitable French retaliation.—
Christopher Magra,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If silver trades around $80 today, that would be like silver falling back to $8 per ounce.—
Aly J Yale,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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The rocket reached an altitude of 224 miles (360 km) before falling back to Earth.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This time, instead of pulling out another clever weapon, Peter walks straight towards his partner, insisting that Hagan has co-opted him for a dirty cause.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
19 Feb. 2026
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More than half of what scientists are pulling out of that frozen ground has never been cataloged.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sunday will bring a lot of sunshine, but the temperature will reach only about 17 degrees before dropping back into the single digits Sunday night.—
Jack Perry,
The Providence Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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Gold’s price rallied near $5,600 per ounce in the morning before suddenly and briefly dropping back below $5,200.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Siffre took a sporadic approach to releasing music over the years, dropping six albums in a five-year span during the ’70s, including his standout LP Crying Laughing Loving Lying, before retiring.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
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Liu is the reigning world and Grand Prix champion who returned to figure skating after retiring at 16, just after the 2022 Games.—
Sara Germano,
Sportico.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backing away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backing%20away. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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