as in to withdraw
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully
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Recent Examples of back away
After her eponymous talk show came to an end in 2022, DeGeneres largely backed away from the spotlight before recording her standup special in Los Angeles.
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Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But officials have since backed away from those numbers.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
Seattle Public Schools is looking at closing five schools next year, backing away from an earlier plan that would have closed up to 21.
—Axios Seattle, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024
Others have backed away from more public displays of involvement.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back away 
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But officials have since backed away from those numbers.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
Seattle Public Schools is looking at closing five schools next year, backing away from an earlier plan that would have closed up to 21.
—Axios Seattle, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024
Others have backed away from more public displays of involvement.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back away
Verb
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Throughout the day Saturday, as the rebel forces were on the move, the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of the rebels, according to the military and an opposition war monitor.Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024
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The military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn Yoon’s decree, forcing his Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday.Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The tech-heavy Nasdaq retreated from the 20,000 mark and shed 0.66%, while the broad market S&P 500 shed 0.54% .Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
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Biden retreated to Delaware to isolate and recover.Philip Elliott, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This is a role without precedent, for which judges are poorly equipped and apt to fall back on their ideological predilections.The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
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Some sources still expected that negotiators will run out of time and have to fall back on a three-month bare-bones extension of expiring programs.Peter Sullivan, Axios, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Amid a disappointing season with the New York Jets — and coming off a 2023 season-ending Achilles injury — Rodgers is seemingly at a crossroads in real life and in the new doc, with the trailer addressing whether the 2010 Super Bowl MVP should retire.Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
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Venus Williams is not technically retired but the 44-year-old played just two matches early in the year and has largely hung up her racket.Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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However, once Kraven is dropped back off at his home, the film never recovers the excitement of those first few scenes.Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Bitcoin ends month near $100,000 Bitcoin, which recently made a run at $100,000 before dropping back, briefly rose back above $98,000 but was recently trading around $97,300.CBS News, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Back away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20away. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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