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
Daily use has dropped back down since the holiday frenzy, according to online news reports.
—
John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Ridden Saturday for the first time by jockey Flavien Prat, Commandment dropped back to last in the field of six midway through the 1 1/8-mile stakes, content to allow the others to contest the pace.
—Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The enlistment age was dropped back to 35 in 2016.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 25 Mar. 2026
Waits’ last album, Bad as Me, dropped back in 2011 — the same year he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
With Detroit’s win over Calgary, the B’s dropped back to the second wild-card spot.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
The Golden State Warriors just dropped back-to-back games to the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
No quarterback in the NFL has dropped back more times in the past two seasons than Nix.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 10 Mar. 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
John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
Ridden Saturday for the first time by jockey Flavien Prat, Commandment dropped back to last in the field of six midway through the 1 1/8-mile stakes, content to allow the others to contest the pace.
—Clark Spencer, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
The enlistment age was dropped back to 35 in 2016.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 25 Mar. 2026
Waits’ last album, Bad as Me, dropped back in 2011 — the same year he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
With Detroit’s win over Calgary, the B’s dropped back to the second wild-card spot.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
The Golden State Warriors just dropped back-to-back games to the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
No quarterback in the NFL has dropped back more times in the past two seasons than Nix.
—Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 10 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dropped back
Verb
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Netflix withdrew from the bidding, leaving Paramount to claim the prize.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Following the Olympics, Liu withdrew from the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships, citing scheduling demands and insufficient preparation time.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While one of them retreated to the back seat, the more mischievous of the pair sat on the driver’s chair, slamming both paws into the steering wheel to activate the horn.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
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The strongest lingering image of Vernon in the broader culture is still the bearded woodsman who retreated to the wilderness with a broken heart and returned with a gnomic, insular album that would against all odds come to define its era, or at least one tendency within it.—
Mitch Therieau,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Following Pepsi’s lead, multiple other brands have since pulled out.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
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As Guthrie became visibly emotional, weather anchor Al Roker pulled out his pocket square and gave it to her.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After a one-season stint in Italy, Cooper retired from playing and joined the Lakers as an assistant coach in 1994, kick-starting a long and successful coaching career.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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With a banking career spanning almost 30 years, Gentry retired as executive vice president of corporate planning and strategy.—
Chase Jordan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Since the pandemic, private equity funds and other institutional investors have backed away from oil and gas in part due to pressure from environmentally conscious stakeholders.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
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And so our coalition, early in Johnson’s administration, met with the mayor and deputy mayor to establish the office through ordinance; since October 2024, the mayor has backed away from the effort and remained silent and nonresponsive about this necessary strategy.—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dropped back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dropped%20back. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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