falling back

verb

present participle of fall back
as in retreating
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 falling back Temperatures could reach near 70 degrees Monday before falling back to the mid-60s Tuesday through Thursday. — Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026 Earlier this year, NASA worked with Katalyst Space Technologies on a $30 million mission that aimed to boost the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is also falling back to Earth due to orbital drag. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026 Just this week, some Massachusetts senators voted in an informal session to advance a bill that would put a stop to springing forward and falling back. — Amanda Callahan, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 Apple's market value briefly surpassed Nvidia in July, before falling back below. — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 The song ended with Gigi Hadid emerging on stage and having a sweet moment with McRae, who strutted side-by-side with the veteran VS Angel for a few beats before falling back and finishing out the track. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026 Brent crude peaked at nearly $106 per barrel yesterday before falling back to $102 this morning. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 And after falling back slightly this week, bond yields are on the rise again. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Bond yields offered some slack on Tuesday after falling back from their highest levels in years or even decades. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling back
  1. retreating
  2. withdrawing
  3. pulling out
  4. dropping back
  5. backing away
  6. retiring
Verb
  • Shy, retreating Minnie was happy to bask in Callie’s light, while Helen’s existence was almost entirely dedicated to her only daughter.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The actual battle had ended with Glover’s men retreating across the Hutchinson River.
    — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of retreating
Verb
  • The city would also be prohibited from withdrawing more than 50% of the amount of money in the fund unless the mayor certifies that there is a compelling fiscal need.
    — Digital Producer, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Uganda is withdrawing troops deployed for years in Somalia under an African Union peacekeeping force that helped repel militants in the Horn of Africa nation, military authorities said on Monday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of withdrawing
Verb
  • The abrupt development came on the heels of BC Partners pulling out of its arrangement to invest $300 million into the LIV Golf League after a simple head count made clear not enough of the circuit’s top golfers planned to return in 2027.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • National groups from both parties began pulling out of the race earlier this month, signaling that both now view the contest as less competitive than previously thought.
    — Josephine Murphy, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pulling out
Verb
  • The Crimson Tide are 5-2 for the season, dropping back-to-back games against Georgia and Tennessee.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Seattle accomplishes this by masterfully disguising defensive assignments before the snap, which can force Mahomes to diagnose where to go with the football only after dropping back.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of dropping back
Verb
  • The young alligator was also taken off guard, and is seen backing away in search of an exit.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The mission will arrive at the moons in 2027, spend two years mapping Phobos and selecting a landing site for sampling before backing away to observe Deimos.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of backing away
Verb
  • So does providing liquidity to retiring senior partners and setting up the next generation for success.
    — Will Hausberg, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The company announced Scott Lovett, president of Go To Market, will be retiring in 2027.
    — Davis Giangiulio,Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of retiring

Browse Nearby Words

falling away
falling back
falling back on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Falling back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falling%20back. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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