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.

This trip marks another important step back to full royal duties, with this being described as "taking it up a gear".

From BBC • May 12, 2026

But it is hard not to step back from it and see something much simpler taking shape underneath all that ink.

From Slate • May 8, 2026

A space that’s easier to step back into, whether that’s to cook dinner, sit down to work, or tackle a deeper clean tomorrow.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

This is a time to step back and let them do their thing.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

I take a step back, increasing the distance between him and me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

step back

Example Sentences

Related Words