as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
she hung back in offering her opinion about her daughter's career choices because it wasn't her business
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Recent Examples of hang back
The kids decide to hang back at the restaurant for the night when Bob buys coveted candy (Sour Sack Babies), and the place gets overrun with desperate trick-or-treaters.
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Lillian Brown, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
For many global companies and banks, hanging back will be the easiest and safest course of action.
—Eric Lorber, Foreign Affairs, 15 July 2015
Instead, many hide their hearing loss by nodding along in conversation, by hanging back at social gatherings, by staying home.
—Charley Locke, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2024
To avoid interrupting, Tozer decided to hang back and began setting up her own paddleboard, hoping to give them some space.
—Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hang back 
Lillian Brown, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
For many global companies and banks, hanging back will be the easiest and safest course of action.
—Eric Lorber, Foreign Affairs, 15 July 2015
Instead, many hide their hearing loss by nodding along in conversation, by hanging back at social gatherings, by staying home.
—Charley Locke, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2024
To avoid interrupting, Tozer decided to hang back and began setting up her own paddleboard, hoping to give them some space.
—Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hang back
Thesaurus Entries Near hang back
Cite this Entry
“Hang back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hang%20back. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
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