back away

verb

backed away; backing away; backs away

intransitive verb

: to move away (as from a stand on an issue or from a commitment)

Examples of back away in a Sentence

backed away from the snake very slowly and carefully
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Clearly alarmed by the frosty figure, Nala backs away with caution, maintaining intense eye contact. Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024 The case, however, was not pursued, because the accuser backed away from the charges out of fear for her life, according to her relatives. Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2024 Surveillance cameras capture Bissonnette backing away from the restaurant as the group of six men follows him. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024 Women who hold power positions in industry and academia must not back away from institutional programs and support of diversity and inclusion. Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for back away 

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back away was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near back away

Cite this Entry

“Back away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20away. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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