as in hesitating
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
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Recent Examples of hanging back
Dad is hanging back in the doorway.
—
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
After Fester fried the hospital's power grid, allowing the LOIS patients to escape and begin attacking Judi, Wednesday noticed that one female patient was hanging back.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
After Fester fried the hospital's power grid, allowing the LOIS patients to escape and begin attacking Judi, Wednesday noticed that one female patient was hanging back.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging back
Verb
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The Names by Florence Knapp After a devastating storm, Cora brings her newborn son to be registered, hesitating when pressured to name him after her controlling husband.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Now, as the conflict has shown signs of widening to other countries, including Lebanon and Bahrain, traditional safe-haven assets are showing signs of faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hanging back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanging%20back. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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