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
After the front, the humidity drops back off the scale, meaning that Thursday and Friday will be very comfy and dry.
—
Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 18 May 2026
If the opposing quarterback drops back to pass, Downs can be effective, as well.
—Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Too flat and your head drops back; too thick and your chin juts forward.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
If your head drops back or your chin pushes forward, the pillow height is wrong.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots drops back to pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.
—Lillian Rizzo,ryan Ruggiero, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Temperatures are likely to remain warm during the day, though forecasts show possible snow showers early Thursday night as the low drops back below freezing to the upper 20s.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
The 54-year-old comedian with a beard full of gray stubble drops back to pass, launching a tight spiral underneath SoFi’s massive technicolor halo scoreboard hovering above a sea of empty stands.
—Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The pump should turn off after the water level drops back down.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 18 May 2026
If the opposing quarterback drops back to pass, Downs can be effective, as well.
—Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Too flat and your head drops back; too thick and your chin juts forward.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
If your head drops back or your chin pushes forward, the pillow height is wrong.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots drops back to pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.
—Lillian Rizzo,ryan Ruggiero, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Temperatures are likely to remain warm during the day, though forecasts show possible snow showers early Thursday night as the low drops back below freezing to the upper 20s.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
The 54-year-old comedian with a beard full of gray stubble drops back to pass, launching a tight spiral underneath SoFi’s massive technicolor halo scoreboard hovering above a sea of empty stands.
—Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The pump should turn off after the water level drops back down.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drops back
Verb
-
Hezbollah has vowed to fight until the war ends in Lebanon and Israel withdraws its troops that operate across large swaths of the country’s south.—
Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
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Hezbollah has vowed to fight until the war ends in Lebanon and Israel withdraws its troops who operate across large swaths of the country’s south.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Her 50-something protagonist, Alan Anderson, and his socially striving wife Vivian, are at least about to start thinking about where their family is going to go, once Alan retreats to a backyard playhouse.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
So, when legal education retreats from explicit commitments to access and representation, the consequences aren't limited to law schools.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Indeed, no matter the city problem, Johnson seemingly falls back on claims of a lack of state financial support.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
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The result is a fashion movie that takes the art at its center for granted, a work of radical narrative freedom which falls back on last season’s tropes.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The team does an organized shuffle to get things in order, and almost everyone watching with me backs away slightly.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
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Jones then slows down to a walk as Prignano backs away.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Leatherman retires the winning beach each year and adds it to a hall of fame, ensuring that new beaches have a chance to claim the top spot.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Superintendent Anthony McConnell — thanked him for preparing them for the job McConnel has and the one Schroeder will assume when Lubelfeld retires June 30.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drops back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drops%20back. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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