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Dictionary.com

step back

VERB
recoil
Synonyms
STRONGEST
backfire balk blanch blink cringe demur flinch hesitate reel shudder tremble turn away waver wince
STRONG
blench carom dodge duck falter jerk kick quail quake react rebound resile shake shirk shrink spring start stick stickle swerve withdraw
WEAK
draw back pull back shy away
Antonyms
STRONGEST
steady
STRONG
face meet remain stay

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.

Well, I’ll just take a step back on this one,’” Wagner said.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026

Broadway veteran Eric Anderson will step back into the role on May 19, but the actor who will cover the interim, from May 2 through 17, hasn’t been announced.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

While I am grateful she has had the financial cushion to step back, I worry that this chapter has drifted into something more indefinite.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

To pull back from that, I think, would upend decades of settled practice and be a real step back for our collective understanding of the presidency.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

I take an involuntary step back as the space seems to get tighter, pushing in on me, and my heart hammers in the hollow at the bottom of my throat.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam