hang back

verb

hung back; hanging back; hangs back

intransitive verb

1
: to drag behind others
2
: to be reluctant

Examples of hang back in a Sentence

even though the young mother wanted the job, she still hung back because she wasn't sure if she should spend time away from her family
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For over two years, capital has been hanging back – and that capital must move because it is held in closed-end funds, with a typical 10-year lifespan. Control Risks, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The kids decide to hang back at the restaurant for the night when Bob buys coveted candy (Sour Sack Babies), and the place gets overrun with desperate trick-or-treaters. Lillian Brown, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024 For many global companies and banks, hanging back will be the easiest and safest course of action. Eric Lorber, Foreign Affairs, 15 July 2015 Instead, many hide their hearing loss by nodding along in conversation, by hanging back at social gatherings, by staying home. Charley Locke, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hang back 

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hang back was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near hang back

Cite this Entry

“Hang back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang%20back. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hang back

verb
1
: to linger behind others
hung back to wait for the slower children
2
: to be unwilling to do something : hesitate
always hangs back when everyone else is dancing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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