shy away

Strong matches

• cringe
• quail
• quaver
• recoil
• shake
• shrink
• shudder
• tremble
• wince

Weak matches

• draw back
• shrink back

Weak matches

• drop back
• drop behind
• hang fire
• hang off
• hold back
• hold off
• hover
• lag behind
• pause
• procrastinate
• shrink back
• stay back
• stick
• straggle
• trail

Strongest matches

• balk
• dither
• falter
• pause
• ponder
• stumble
• waffle
• waver

Strong matches

• alternate
• balance
• dally
• debate
• defer
• delay
• demur
• dillydally
• doubt
• equivocate
• flounder
• fluctuate
• fumble
• hang
• hedge
• hover
• linger
• oscillate
• pussyfoot
• scruple
• seesaw
• shift
• shrink
• stammer
• stop
• straddle
• stutter
• swerve
• tergiversate
• vacillate
• weigh

Weak matches

• be irresolute
• be reluctant
• be unwilling
• blow hot and cold
• hang back
• hem and haw
• hold back
• hold off
• pull back
• sit on fence
• think about
• think twice

Strongest matches

• backfire
• balk
• blanch
• blink
• cringe
• demur
• flinch
• hesitate
• reel
• shudder
• tremble
• turn away
• waver
• wince

Strong matches

• blench
• carom
• dodge
• duck
• falter
• jerk
• kick
• quail
• quake
• react
• rebound
• resile
• shake
• shirk
• shrink
• spring
• start
• stick
• stickle
• swerve
• withdraw

Weak matches

• draw back
• pull back
• step back

Strongest matches

• change
• convert
• move
• return
• shift
• swing
• switch
• transform
• twist

Strong matches

• about-face
• aim
• alter
• alternate
• backslide
• capsize
• curve
• depart
• detour
• detract
• deviate
• digress
• direct
• diverge
• incline
• inverse
• invert
• loop
• pivot
• recoil
• redirect
• regress
• relapse
• retrace
• revert
• sheer
• shunt
• sidetrack
• subvert
• sway
• swerve
• swirl
• tack
• upset
• vary
• veer
• volte-face
• wheel
• whip around
• whirl
• zigzag

Weak matches

• call off
• change position
• double back
• face about
• go back
• rechannel