Synonyms of hang back

hang back

verb

as in to hesitate

to show uncertainty about the right course of action

she hung back in offering her opinion about her daughter's career choices because it wasn't her business

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitate
• falter
• wait
• debate
• balance
• vacillate
• halt
• scruple
• dither
• stagger
• waver
• pause
• back down
• wobble
• sway
• teeter
• delay
• chicken (out)
• linger
• haw
• hem
• ponder
• procrastinate
• deliberate
• weigh
• shilly-shally
• dawdle
• consider
• equivocate
• oscillate
• waffle
• hedge
• dally
• pussyfoot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decide
• plunge (in)
• dive (in)
• continue
• stir
• advance
• budge

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hang back

The 22-year-old likes to get touch-tight to attackers but is an adept reader of the game too, knowing when to hang back. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Students who do well move on to separate rooms known as mastery labs for accelerated coursework, while those who struggle hang back for further help from teachers. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Aug. 2026

David hung back, letting Cody be the one to approach the woman sitting at the front desk, crowded out by a floral arrangement. — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

Almost every player decided to hang back to get some extra work. — Miami Herald, 30 July 2026