as in to withdraw
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
a change in the wind direction forced the firefighters to drop back
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Recent Examples of drop back
Temperatures remain steady in the upper 30s and lower 40s through sunset, before dropping back into the upper 20s and lower 30s as the forecast dries out overnight.
—
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
But nighttime temperatures will drop back below freezing, creating a gradual thawing that prevents the landscape from being inundated with meltwater.
—Eryn Dion, The Providence Journal, 24 Feb. 2026
And prices dropped back around the $2 mark soon after thanks to a higher production of broilers — or chickens raised for meat — in the latter half of the year.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Temperatures are expected to drop back to near- or below-normal levels through the weekend and into the start of next week.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drop back
Cutter Martin, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
But nighttime temperatures will drop back below freezing, creating a gradual thawing that prevents the landscape from being inundated with meltwater.
—Eryn Dion, The Providence Journal, 24 Feb. 2026
And prices dropped back around the $2 mark soon after thanks to a higher production of broilers — or chickens raised for meat — in the latter half of the year.
—Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Temperatures are expected to drop back to near- or below-normal levels through the weekend and into the start of next week.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drop back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drop back
Verb
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His son withdrew from high school.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Worries about a possible data center coming to Spring Hill have been put to rest, after the applicant on Friday withdrew its request to rezone more than 300 acres of agricultural land for industrial use.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On her island home in the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, the shoreline has visibly retreated within her short lifetime, with beaches eroded, coastal trees uprooted and some homes now barely 3 feet from the sea at high tide.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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The real horror in Frankenstein was a brilliant man who unleashed power and retreated from accountability.—
Tom Debley,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel before falling back Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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In early trading Monday morning, both indexes had fallen back slightly.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Anderson recruited Burkle as the heavy hitting investor behind a counteroffer to keep the team in Sacramento that ultimately fell through after Burkle pulled out.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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Last week, Ellison emerged victorious in a months-long battle for Warner Bros Discovery after Netflix pulled out of the bidding process.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Flores issued a one-out walk and another single in the sixth inning, but the second-year right-hander retired two straight HCU batters to get out of the jam.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
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Even as her hard-line tactics have shown some success, Sheinbaum has not renounced the precepts of López Obrador, who, while retired, remains a revered and influential figure.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drop back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drop%20back. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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