as in withdrawing
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
a change in the wind direction forced the firefighters to drop back
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dropping back
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
As moisture increases later this week, a cooling trend will commence with temperatures dropping back into the normal range by Friday.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Six of them could be rushing, or those same six could be dropping back into coverage.
—Omar Kelly
august 5, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
As moisture increases later this week, a cooling trend will commence with temperatures dropping back into the normal range by Friday.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Six of them could be rushing, or those same six could be dropping back into coverage.
—Omar Kelly
august 5, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dropping back
Verb
-
Ciattarelli called it an affordability crisis and has called for withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an agreement among Northeast states to cap their emissions.—
Ryan Mancini,
The Hill,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Elsewhere in the league, Virginia Tech’s Neoklis Avdalas declared for the draft last year out of Greece before withdrawing.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
With nothing but West Ham’s rapidly retreating defence in front of him, and an instant four-on-four, Guimaraes drove forward before picking out Murphy to his right, in a position to isolate left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf with a one-vs-one.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
After retreating behind the walls of Culloden Parks, the remaining fighters soon surrendered.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2023, federal lawmakers introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, a proposal to make daylight saving time permanent, meaning no more springing forward or falling back.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Oct. 2025
-
For example, Comet Halley barely crosses the orbit of Neptune before falling back into the inner solar system.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Georgia is either extremely fortunate or extremely tough — possibly both — to keep pulling out these close Ws.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Gun store employees recalled Farzam on two occasions pulling out of the parking lot – red and white lights flashing, sirens blaring – as if responding to an emergency call, court documents show.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
Leaders like former American Express CEO Ken Chenault and retiring Partnership for New York City CEO, Kathryn Wylde come to mind.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Sonya Evans stays in District 4 Sonya Evans, a former Blue Valley School District parent, made the jump to district leadership in 2023 when she was tapped to replace a retiring Kaety Bowers.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dropping back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dropping%20back. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share