as in withdraws
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 drops back
Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High on November 16, 2025.
—
Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
The pump should turn off after the water level drops back down.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
With Leverkusen’s front players focused on stopping progression into Gravenberch, Jones drops back to receive from Alexander-Arnold.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart drops back to pass during the second half.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2025
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins drops back in the second quarter during the NFL 2025 game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
However, Gentz continued, if one assumed About You had been part of the Zalando group last year as well, then 2025 guidance for revenue growth drops back to between 4 percent and 7 percent over the full year.
—Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
The pump should turn off after the water level drops back down.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
With Leverkusen’s front players focused on stopping progression into Gravenberch, Jones drops back to receive from Alexander-Arnold.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart drops back to pass during the second half.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2025
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins drops back in the second quarter during the NFL 2025 game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York.
—Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
However, Gentz continued, if one assumed About You had been part of the Zalando group last year as well, then 2025 guidance for revenue growth drops back to between 4 percent and 7 percent over the full year.
—Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drops back
Verb
-
The law is implemented across a number of scenarios, including if the President dies or resigns while in office under Section 1 or the President themselves withdraws from the position, which can be temporarily, under Section 3.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
-
While Block is in the fourth grade, after his family moves from Indiana to Texas, his mother withdraws him from school, convinced that a traditional academic environment will stifle his budding writerly gifts.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Menopause retreats at properties with spas take that tension-melting vibe a step further.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
23 Jan. 2026
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Less well defined is the character of Miss Delavigne, although she’s wonderfully portrayed by Englert, who retreats into this mousy persona.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That water then freezes in the atmosphere and falls back down as snow.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
When fired for real in the film, the first intercepting missile malfunctions and falls back to earth.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Videos show an officer, who is hovering over the scuffle with his right hand on Pretti’s back, backs away from the group with what appears to be a gun in his right hand just before the first shot.—
Hannah Fingerhut,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
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Those detours foreshadowed Paris, where the styling again backs away from surface-level pink and redistributes it to the interior.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When Moon abruptly retires, the narrator goes to Korea to find him.—
Erin Somers,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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Officials are also working to hire a new human resources director to succeed Susan Brazeau, who retires in March.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drops back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drops%20back. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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