as in withdrawal
an act of moving away especially from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable
the pullback was necessary so that the commanders could reorganize their units and reassess the situation
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Recent Examples of pullback
In early 2023, the company terminated about 500 employees, or about 4% of staff, citing a pullback in consumer spending following the pandemic-era online shopping boom.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
The post warned that AI adoption would lead to a stock market crash, a sharp pullback in consumer spending and widespread white-collar layoffs by 2028.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Declining electric vehicle sales caused US clean investment to experience its largest quarterly drop in nearly a decade, part of a larger pullback caused by the elimination of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Rubio’s speech comes as US allies have increasingly grown concerned and questioned whether the country intends to abandon its partnership with Europe due to Trump’s threats of retaliatory tariffs, bid to take over Greenland and pullback of international aid.
—Zachary Cohen, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pullback
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
The post warned that AI adoption would lead to a stock market crash, a sharp pullback in consumer spending and widespread white-collar layoffs by 2028.
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Declining electric vehicle sales caused US clean investment to experience its largest quarterly drop in nearly a decade, part of a larger pullback caused by the elimination of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Rubio’s speech comes as US allies have increasingly grown concerned and questioned whether the country intends to abandon its partnership with Europe due to Trump’s threats of retaliatory tariffs, bid to take over Greenland and pullback of international aid.
—Zachary Cohen, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pullback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pullback
Noun
-
But since the Taliban’s ultimate victory in that war following the chaotic US withdrawal and their return to power in Kabul, Pakistan has faced a surge in Islamist violence.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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While savers will have to forego access to their funds to earn this return (or risk having to pay an early withdrawal fee), that sacrifice could be worth it in exchange for the $500, especially knowing that this interest will be readily available for holiday shopping.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The rooms are sleek, and a rooftop bar, pool, and executive lounge are modern gems throughout the property, creating a polished downtown retreat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Andrew has moved to a property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, while Sarah’s whereabouts are unknown—although she has been rumored to be everywhere from the French Alps to the United Arab Emirates to wellness retreats in both Switzerland and Ireland.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pullback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pullback. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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