as in hesitates
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 hangs back
Asia hangs back from fetch, left; and right, Kiki gives her space to chase the ball at her own pace.
—
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangs back
Verb
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But Andreia Alexander, an ER doctor in Indiana, told me that patients should not want a doctor who hesitates to save their life.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
22 Aug. 2025
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Lower will talk about work all day but hesitates to reveal much about Britt L’s outie.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Confidence falters as the moon meets Venus.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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Where government funding falters, private industry must become a vital partner to bridge the gap.—
Denis Mandich,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hangs back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangs%20back. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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