fall back

verb

Definition of fall backnext
as in to withdraw
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) resistance from native forces was greater than expected, and the invading army was forced to fall back

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 fall back Any good striker should be looking to pounce on a ball that falls back into the danger area, but the numbers suggest the rate of goals scored via rebounds looks particularly high compared with previous tournaments. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 24 June 2026 If that happens, the headline rate of inflation will likely also fall back, easing the pressure on the Fed to raise rates, and providing Warsh with an out. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 23 June 2026 SpaceX posted huge gains after a record-breaking IPO on June 12, briefly surpassing Amazon and Microsoft in market capitalization, before falling back below both as sentiment cooled. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 23 June 2026 With the Iran war seemingly drawing to a close, oil prices have fallen back to near prewar levels and brought with them the promise of cheaper gas and cooling consumer prices. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fall back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall back
  1. withdraw
  2. retreat
  3. drop back
  4. pull out
  5. retire
Verb
  • Women are stepping back from leadership roles, withdrawing from opportunities, and quietly losing trust in their own judgment in response to a biological event nobody told them was biological.
    — Dr. Sarah Berg, Time, 9 July 2026
  • After other State Department officials clarified that position, Dutch authorities withdrew the authorization while Machado’s aircraft was already in flight, forcing it to return.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • Once again, Brazil’s midfield is quickly retreating towards their own goal as Morocco pile forward.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Moreover, the shock of higher prices is still fresh in people's minds and may be coloring consumers' purchasing decisions, despite signs that prices should retreat further.
    — Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • The Dream fell to the Seattle Storm 105-90 on Saturday after dropping back-to-back games to the Golden State Valkyries — 77-66 on June 24 and 78-75 on June 26.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Advocaat threw his arms in the air, dropped back into his seat, and wept again.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of drop back
Verb
  • The more than 200-acre Palmetto Research Park was set to become team headquarters and a practice facility for the Carolina Panthers before the team pulled out of the deal four years ago, amid a public funding dispute with the city.
    — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
  • The crew took part in rescuing a 47-year-old man who was pulled out of the rubble eight days after the quakes hit, lifting the spirits and morale of rescuers who up until then were primarily uncovering human remains.
    — Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of pull out
Verb
  • According to Redlands’ city records and the Redlands News, Martinez retired last April as part of a $871,956 settlement agreement related to a whistleblower claim against the city.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Singh, who is set to retire later this year, said Levi’s completed the remap of Europe to an omnichannel distribution network at the end of the quarter, consolidating e-commerce fulfillment into its distribution centers in Germany and the UK.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
Definition of retire

Browse Nearby Words

fall away
fall back
fall back on
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Cite this Entry

“Fall back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20back. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of fall back for Spanish Speakers

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