DROPPING BACK Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

dropping back

verb

present participle of drop back

as in withdrawing

to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) a change in the wind direction forced the firefighters to drop back

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of dropping back But first, dropping back from a low zone along the right sideline, Pettus snared a deep pass intended for Mack Hollins amid a crowd of players. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 Downs is everywhere As expected, rookie defensive back Caleb Downs has been moved all over the field, mostly playing nickel cornerback but also dropping back to play deep safety. — Jon MacHota, New York Times, 31 July 2026 With both blockades fueling fears over global energy supplies, the price of international benchmark Brent crude oil jumped above the $100 a barrel threshold Thursday for the first time since May before dropping back down. — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 24 July 2026 The Dream fell to the Seattle Storm 105-90 on Saturday after dropping back-to-back games to the Golden State Valkyries — 77-66 on June 24 and 78-75 on June 26. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 July 2026 The Griz constantly pumps the rod to get his bait darting forward and then dropping back. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026 The descent comes by bicycle, dropping back through emerald rice terraces and village lanes as the island wakes up around you. — Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 23 May 2026 When opening an app, the CPU would spike to 96% before dropping back to more pedestrian 17% usage after a couple of seconds. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026 The Padres won the final two games in San Francisco to win the series, their first after dropping back-to-back series to the Cubs and White Sox. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dropping back

Verb

Major Medicare Advantage insurer Humana is withdrawing from certain markets for 2027, a move expected to be mirrored by other companies facing rising medical expenses.

— Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
In 1982, invading Israeli forces occupied the city, withdrawing three years later.

— Jane Arraf, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of withdrawing

Verb

But Americans want to know that colleges are responding with urgency to the crisis in our public life, not retreating from it.

— Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
In the second World Cup semifinal, England struck first, taking a 1-0 lead early in the second half and then retreating into a defensive shell.

— David Hickey, NBC news, 16 July 2026

Definition of retreating

Verb

Some of that material condensed into tiny droplets called spherules, which spread around the planet before falling back through Earth's atmosphere at several miles per second.

— Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Fowler surged into the lead — briefly — at 11 under before falling back to the pack.

— CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Definition of falling back

Verb

Republican Jim Shaw injected humor into his remarks, pulling out a Florida flag while distancing himself from substance use.

— Joan Murray, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
But the timing of it is interesting, because that 2022 offseason has become a flashpoint in autopsies of Yzerman’s tenure, with some actually viewing it as an example of the general manager getting impatient and pulling out of the rebuild too soon.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of pulling out

Verb

And yet, for the first time in more than a century, the United States is not backing away.

— Kevin Sieff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Zoom isn’t backing away from traditional commercials, says Storin, but sees a need to shift to new tactics as digitally-savvy consumers discover services, products and brands in different ways.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 21 July 2026

Definition of backing away

Verb

Former chief voices his support All of this played out as Kowalski was retiring from the department.

— Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Baresi is regarded as an AC Milan icon, having spent his entire 20-year career with the club, winning six Serie A titles and three top European trophies, and captaining the team for 15 seasons before retiring in 1997.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 31 July 2026