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

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 fall back However, the system isn’t perfect, and if a match is not found, TSA agents are taught to fall back on the older process of a standard manual ID check. — Emily Cappiello, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2026 The vehicle was a suborbital technology demonstrator, climbing to an altitude of roughly 54 miles (88 km) before falling back to Earth. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 13 July 2026 Too flat, and the tail drags it down; too vertical, and the robot tips over and falls back in. — New Atlas, 13 July 2026 The price of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed as much as nearly 5% early Monday before falling back. — ABC News, 12 July 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
  • When asked if the lawsuits involving Davis’ fees would be withdrawn, a spokesperson for Grapevine-Colleyville said the school board is reviewing the invoices, and the district couldn’t speculate before that process is complete.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • The reforms include winding down mRNA vaccine development, withdrawing funding for an international vaccine alliance and tightening access to COVID shots.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • England’s response to taking the lead against Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta was to retreat further and further until Messi’s inevitable impact, setting up goals for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • All three officers immediately backed away from Morgan, while Kephart retreated next to his patrol car.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 19 July 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • The inconsistent Sparks have dropped back-to-back games since firing GM Raegan Pebley.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • Alex Baena and Lamine Yamal kept Jules Kounde and Lucas Digne on their toes while dropping back to restrict their contributions in the final third.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of drop back
Verb
  • And although some of the signs are there — prices are rising by the double digits and some insurers have pulled out of the ACA — the good news is there hasn’t been a total rush for the exits.
    — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • Both men then pulled out guns and shot each other, police said.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of pull out
Verb
  • After the Chiefs’ disappointing season last year, a lot of people thought Kelce would retire.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 17 July 2026
  • Fricker went on to star in another ITV drama Seekers, 1994 sports comedy Angels in the Outfield, 1997’s Masterminds, and 2011’s Albert Nobbs, before retiring from big-screen roles in 2015.
    — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
Definition of retire

Browse Nearby Words

fall away
fall back
fall back on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on fall back

Nglish: Translation of fall back for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All