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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Recent Examples of fall back
And long-term oil prices, which is the biggest influence on the price of gas, don’t show signs of falling back below the pre-war $70 a barrel level any time before the next decade.
—
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Temperatures fall back into the 70s through this evening.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 17 June 2026
This is the second consecutive playing of the event at TPC Toronto, so players will have some course knowledge to fall back on this year.
—Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Goldberg said as the audience cheered over the news, eventually falling back in her chair in shock.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fall back
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Temperatures fall back into the 70s through this evening.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 17 June 2026
This is the second consecutive playing of the event at TPC Toronto, so players will have some course knowledge to fall back on this year.
—Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Goldberg said as the audience cheered over the news, eventually falling back in her chair in shock.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fall back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall back
Verb
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The ceasefire in the MOU extends to a halt in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, requiring Israel to withdraw from Lebanon under a final deal that Trump hopes to reach within 60 days.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Garcia said some students have disengaged from campus life or withdrawn from classes altogether.—
Valentina Toro,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The officer retreated and fired several shots, killing the dog and injuring its owner, who was trying to secure the animal, police said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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But retreating indoors can come at a cost.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The Griz constantly pumps the rod to get his bait darting forward and then dropping back.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
18 June 2026
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Edge rusher Jalyx Hunt said cornerback Kelee Ringo shouted out a signal to him before the snap, and Hunt dropped back into coverage and snagged Dalton’s throw.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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An unidentified man wearing blue basketball shorts and a Knicks hat was spotted in a video obtained by ABC News getting down on one knee, pulling out a red box and holding up a ring.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
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There’s a growing movement to bring back small rituals, like lighting candles, using cloth napkins, pulling out the good china on a random weeknight, and saying a toast before the first bite.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Verb
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From a box-score perspective, Brind’Amour’s case ranks similarly to that of Rick Tocchet, Bill Guerin and Ray Whitney, who are all unlikely to be inducted given other sure-thing candidates about to retire around the league.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Silverton has trailblazed a career through the food industry, but has no plans of retiring anytime soon.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fall back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20back. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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