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.

Themes may emerge: how you beat back adversity, sacrificed for others or discovered new ways to love.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

When OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made the dramatic call for a “code red” last week to beat back a rising threat from Google, he put improving ChatGPT at the top of his list of fixes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

In other words, it’s riveting prose about how humans beat back despair.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2025

Looking terrified, Ahmed tried to beat back tears as he told the BBC what happened next.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

Mother would beat back illness with a broom.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson

beat back

Example Sentences

Related Words