as in withdrew
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 dropped back
Facing third-and-goal with just under three minutes remaining, Purdy dropped back, went through his first two progressions, stepped forward in the pocket and finally found McCaffrey streaking into the end zone ahead of linebacker Nakobe Dean.
—
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
Caleb Williams dropped back, pump-faked and found DJ Moore wide open down the sideline for the go-ahead touchdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Jan. 2026
Orange quarterback Rickie Collins dropped back and threw a deep pass intended for receiver Darius Johnson.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Nov. 2025
Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier dropped back to pass only to find Rodriguez in coverage.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
In the third quarter, on Carolina’s third offensive sack, Dalton dropped back, got pressure, couldn’t escape and fumbled again.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2025
That was especially considering the Eagles dropped back-to-back games after winning their first four.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
Caleb Williams dropped back, pump-faked and found DJ Moore wide open down the sideline for the go-ahead touchdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Jan. 2026
Orange quarterback Rickie Collins dropped back and threw a deep pass intended for receiver Darius Johnson.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Nov. 2025
Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier dropped back to pass only to find Rodriguez in coverage.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
In the third quarter, on Carolina’s third offensive sack, Dalton dropped back, got pressure, couldn’t escape and fumbled again.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2025
That was especially considering the Eagles dropped back-to-back games after winning their first four.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dropped back
Verb
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Former North Crowley standout Ka’Morreun Pimpton also withdrew his name from the portal Sunday.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Jan. 2026
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrew its troops last week following a deadline from Saudi Arabia.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The victim retreated into the gym, and the suspect left the scene, according to police.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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No longer a complete unknown wrapped in the Bob Dylan mystique, Chalamet has energized a balky awards circuit whose stars and filmmakers years ago had retreated from the rigors of self-promotion, with some still preferring to avoid it.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The suspect started to run away, then pulled out a gun and fired at the homeowner before continuing to flee, police said.—
Laura Fay,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Pullouts feature an actual mattress that’s, well, pulled out from the sofa in some way.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The 84-year-old eventually retired from acting and chose a quiet life away from Hollywood.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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The town council conducted a nationwide search and decided the best candidate was a local resident who had retired from the police department.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Strategy — The bitcoin treasury firm gained more than 3% after MSCI backed away from its plan to remove digital asset treasury companies from MSCI Indexes.—
Darla Mercado, CFP®,Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
7 Jan. 2026
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Spotify has long backed away from wanting to fully own and operate its own shows, finding more value in serving as a tech, monetization, and distribution platform for podcasters.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dropped back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dropped%20back. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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