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
Newcastle’s players have had to drop back to defend Arsenal’s direct attack, so their players are now not as well-positioned to cause their opponents problems in the first line of their build-up.
—
Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Temperatures will also drop back down to the 50s.
—Adam Del Rosso, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
If Brent crude oil futures drop back down to $65 to $70 per barrel, Conde said, prices at the pump could also lessen.
—Hali Smith
april 24, Idaho Statesman, 24 Apr. 2026
If the opposing quarterback drops back to pass, Downs can be effective, as well.
—Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drop back
Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Temperatures will also drop back down to the 50s.
—Adam Del Rosso, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
If Brent crude oil futures drop back down to $65 to $70 per barrel, Conde said, prices at the pump could also lessen.
—Hali Smith
april 24, Idaho Statesman, 24 Apr. 2026
If the opposing quarterback drops back to pass, Downs can be effective, as well.
—Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drop back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drop back
Verb
-
His is a more enlightened era, but Hannes, lonely and withdrawn, doesn’t share his classmates’ interest in campus sit-ins and free love.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Days after four Republican candidates withdrew from the upcoming Platte County election and launched independent campaigns, the county’s Republican committee announced plans to censure those candidates and deem them unwelcome within the party.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The Wolves will retreat to their corner, bandage some wounds and aim to actually come out swinging Friday after cowering in the corner for the bulk of Game 2.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
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As Elliot retreats from the devastating reality of his illness, father and daughter are forced to confront the unspoken truths between them.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Authorities typically publish airspace warning notices called NOTAMs advising pilots to steer clear of a rocket’s flight path and downrange drop zones where spent booster rockets fall back to Earth.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
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The price of the international benchmark for oil, Brent crude, rose to more than $126 a barrel at one point overnight — the highest since 2022, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine — before falling back to around $114 a barrel early Thursday.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as the rover attempted to pull out its drill arm, the rock came up with it, having gotten lodged onto the sleeve that surrounds the tool’s bit.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
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The tool analyzed every transcript, pulled out every distinct claim each speaker made, and turned each one into a numerical fingerprint that captures meaning rather than wording.—
Gina Chua,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Mary Brown retired after coaching boys and girls volleyball in the district for 19 years, including the past eight years with the Knights’ boys team.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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But, after the couple retired and migrated south to Mexico City, Hurst dove back into photography with gusto, until his death, from cancer, in 2023.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drop back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drop%20back. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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