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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.

"Now, if I take a blow to the head, I stop and think about whether I need to take a step back," she added.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Others are weighing whether to step back from their careers just as they reach peak earning years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

To walk the campus is to step back in time — to the Eisenhower administration.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

Two steps forward, one step back seems to be the dance between the U.S. and Iran over peace talks—the market’s main focus right now.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

The man took a step back so he was in line with the others.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

step back

Example Sentences

Related Words