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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fall back
Following the most intense stages of falling back from orbit, communications are typically reestablished during a ship's last stretch to landing.
—
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 June 2025
Rory McIlroy came roaring close to the top, then fell back.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025
With a 3-over 73 on his 29th birthday, the triple-bogey on No. 1 being his first since the 2024 BMW Championship, Scheffler fell back to the cluster at 7-under.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025
Ever since that buzzy vodka cocktail fell back into favor in 2021—and flew onto cocktail menus around the world—java is popping up all over menus in classic and unexpected ways.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall back
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 June 2025
Rory McIlroy came roaring close to the top, then fell back.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025
With a 3-over 73 on his 29th birthday, the triple-bogey on No. 1 being his first since the 2024 BMW Championship, Scheffler fell back to the cluster at 7-under.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025
Ever since that buzzy vodka cocktail fell back into favor in 2021—and flew onto cocktail menus around the world—java is popping up all over menus in classic and unexpected ways.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall back
Verb
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The traffic receded as Chicago withdrew into the distance behind me on Interstate 90.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
4 July 2025
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The result will be an increase in preying on immigrants by the criminal element: robbery, protection scams, sweatshop labor and human trafficking, as the immigrant community withdraws from reliance on no-longer-safe court systems.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 July 2025
Verb
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And in this story, Superman retreats from the world after being rejected by the public for adhering to an older moral code.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
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But after several major box office debacles, including Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Apple retreated.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
9 July 2025
Verb
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With this removal, the number of Google apps supported on watchOS drops back to three: Calendar, Maps, and YouTube Music.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
1 July 2025
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But Oklahoma City’s shooting, which has been mediocre in this series, will have to improve in a high-pressure situation to make the Pacers pay for dropping back into the gaps.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Verb
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Iconic restaurants are closing, airport workers are being replaced by kiosks, hotels are pulling out, and working families are losing, not winning.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2025
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Prime Day deals are usually the best of the year, so now’s the time to pull out the plastic for hot-ticket items on your wishlist.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Rucker played his entire nine-season NFL career with the Panthers before retiring in 2008.—
Sydney Sasser,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
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For Gen Z, that might mean skipping the $28 lunch today—and retiring with $800,000 tomorrow.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fall back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20back. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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