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
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
After backing away from the giant mammal, the influencer then moves closer again, jumping back once more when the elephant attempts to grab him with its trunk.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
And yet the Republican administration and its congressional allies are showing no signs of caving to Democratic demands or backing away from threats to use the opportunity to pursue deeper cuts to the federal workforce.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
Video showed the man backing away from Sanchez, who stands 6-feet-2-inches, before the former quarterback followed then ran after the man, grabbing and throwing him toward the wall of the Westin, another downtown hotel, police wrote in the affidavit.
—IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
The clip shows the massive American bully hesitantly backing away from a tiny, energetic puppy.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
After backing away from a controversial logo rebrand loudly opposed by many right-wing influencers, Cracker Barrel also quietly made changes to its website this week.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
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
After backing away from the giant mammal, the influencer then moves closer again, jumping back once more when the elephant attempts to grab him with its trunk.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
And yet the Republican administration and its congressional allies are showing no signs of caving to Democratic demands or backing away from threats to use the opportunity to pursue deeper cuts to the federal workforce.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
Video showed the man backing away from Sanchez, who stands 6-feet-2-inches, before the former quarterback followed then ran after the man, grabbing and throwing him toward the wall of the Westin, another downtown hotel, police wrote in the affidavit.
—IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
The clip shows the massive American bully hesitantly backing away from a tiny, energetic puppy.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
After backing away from a controversial logo rebrand loudly opposed by many right-wing influencers, Cracker Barrel also quietly made changes to its website this week.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backing away
Verb
-
But again, no school can prevent a player from withdrawing and enrolling elsewhere.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
With his previous attorney withdrawing from the case, arraignment was postponed Wednesday for Rob Reiner’s youngest son, who is charged with murdering the famed filmmaker and his photographer wife Michele in their Brentwood home.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The pact also included staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.—
David R. Martin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Gosling has a way of retreating into a silence more emotionally eloquent than the film’s occasionally clunky dialogue.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Grande has previously shared her desire to return to theater after falling back in love with acting through the filming of Wicked.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Be brave, and resist falling back on English Don’t fear being laughed at or scolded for speaking imperfectly, said Massimo Macchiavello, the marketing manager for Posta, a destination management company in Buenos Aires, Argentina.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The publicity staff is pulling out all the stops to arouse interest in the show, including a Hollywood premiere in New York complete with lights, blazing Bat symbols, plush red carpets, champagne and popcorn.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Jan. 2026
-
This usually requires pulling out any hair that gets trapped between the bristles.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Peak 2 Peak Gondola makes moving between the two seamless, linking the mountains at high elevation so skiers can switch terrain without dropping back to the village.—
Bailey Berg,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Some backups go through every tiny detail of the pre and at-snap routine, even dropping back with a ball in their hand but stopping short of throwing it.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The reigning world champion returned to competitive skating last season with a bang after retiring following the 2022 Beijing Olympics.—
Lillian Karabaic,
NPR,
9 Jan. 2026
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The school will hold a ceremony retiring her jersey at halftime of the boys’ basketball game between Sierra Canyon and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backing away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backing%20away. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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