as in withdrew
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell back
Verb
-
Goldin was killed on August 1, 2014, just days before Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025 -
In October, Fernandez withdrew from the Argentina squad with membrane swelling in his right knee.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Unsurprisngly, Meg White, who retreated from public life and hasn’t been heard from for over a decade, was a no-show.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
-
People retreated in fear that more would come.—
Kim Lane Scheppele,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Owens and her parents, KGO 810 radio legend Ronn Owens and former KCBS reporter Jan Black, moved to Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic, after Ronn Owens retired from KGO-810 after 46 years.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Christy officially retired from professional boxing in 2012.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Orange quarterback Rickie Collins dropped back and threw a deep pass intended for receiver Darius Johnson.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier dropped back to pass only to find Rodriguez in coverage.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 32-year-old allowed two more goals in the period before being pulled out of the game by Blues head coach Jim Montgomery for backup goalie Joel Hofer.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Trump quickly pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords, the World Health Organization, and the UN Human Rights Council, underscoring his commitment to isolationism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fell back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell%20back. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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