step back

phrasal verb

stepped back; stepping back; steps back

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

You need to step back and give yourself some time to work through this.

Examples of step back in a Sentence

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.

That meant taking some steps back to have the opportunity to draft future stars with lottery picks. —

Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024 For the first time since her cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales, 42, stepped back into the public eye alongside the royal family for their annual Christmas Day walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham. —

Erin Hill, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024 That man would flip his bat, hop, step back, do a li’l two-step, all while popping an invisible collar on his way to first base. —

Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024 Gang Green needs to get younger after its defense clearly took a step back after Robert Saleh was fired, and Mosley will likely be one of the first dominoes to fall. —

Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for step back