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beat back

VERB
repel
Synonyms
STRONGEST
chase away confront drive away drive off fend off hold off rebuff resist ward off withstand
STRONG
buck check cool cut decline dismiss disown dispute duel fight kick oppose parry rebut refuse reject traverse
WEAK
beat off brush off cast aside drive back force back force off give cold shoulder to hold back keep at arm's length keep at bay keep off knock down push back put down put to flight stand up against stave off turn down
Antonyms
STRONG
accept agree aid allow approve assist help increase sanction support
WEAK
attract draw

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

In the Democratic primary, Platner, 41, beat back Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, who is 78.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

Yet Lopez once again beat back her well-funded opposition.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

OpenAI executives are hoping that unifying its products under one app will allow it to streamline resources as it seeks to beat back the success of its rival Anthropic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

Norwegian family drama, Sentimental Value, beat back stiff competition in the best film not in the English language category, including Brazilian thriller The Secret Agent.

From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026

“Right, I'll go speak with the sheriff, you go ask the Duchess if she'll spread the word that everyone needs to fight if were going to beat back the approaching horde.”

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

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