stand back

phrasal verb

stood back; standing back; stands back

: to take a few steps backwards

The paramedics told the crowd to stand back.

: to stop doing something or being actively involved in something for a time in order to think about it and make decisions in a calm and reasonable way

It's time to stand back and take a long hard look at your problems.

Examples of stand back in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Put it in place, connect cables to the ports on the side facing the screen, and then focus while standing back far enough to see the entire screen. —

PCMAG, 13 Oct. 2024 Trump tells Proud Boys to ‘stand back and stand by’ Trump was pressed by debate moderator Chris Wallace to denounce white supremacy on the heels of violent acts in some U.S. cities at Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. —

Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 June 2024 Now that Israel has shifted its attention to Lebanon and scored several initial tactical successes against Hezbollah, Iran cannot afford to stand back and watch for two main reasons. —

Aaron Pilkington, The Conversation, 4 Oct. 2024 When Peregrin stands back up, Anitta claps for her before exiting the runway. —

Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stand back

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stand back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.