as in hesitated
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 hung back
Felicia Coleman hung back in the throng of family members gathered in front of the microphones, wiping away tears.
—
Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Afterward, while players sat at a long table under one of the baskets, providing autographs for fans, Farokhmanesh hung back.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
Seeing the body language of his double-play partner, second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa hung back as well.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
Afterward, while players sat at a long table under one of the baskets, providing autographs for fans, Farokhmanesh hung back.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
Seeing the body language of his double-play partner, second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa hung back as well.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hung back
Verb
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That's over twice the value of gold from just one year ago, and now investors who once hesitated to buy gold are weighing whether the opportunity has already passed — or whether the metal still has room to run.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Then the Canadian hesitated, ever so slightly.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But UConn faltered in the second half, surrendering a 20-4 run and at one point going nearly eight minutes between field goals.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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The Aussie actor has had quite the year, with acclaimed performances in films such as Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights—and amidst the many press tours and busy award season events, his personal style has never faltered.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hung back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hung%20back. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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