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
On another 3-point shot, Leonard drove past Rockets’ Tari Eason before stepping back, leaving his opponent three feet away from him as the ball soared overhead.
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Janis Carr, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
Andrew previously stepped back from his public duties in 2019 in the wake of a disastrous interview with the BBC about the Epstein scandal.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Experts told Flow Space that this is a step back in requiring universal testing of talc-containing products and puts the burden on the consumer to figure out which products are safe.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 23 Dec. 2025
Officers stepped back out into the hallway, where the 29-year-old was holding a box cutter, according to police.
—CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for step back
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Janis Carr, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
Andrew previously stepped back from his public duties in 2019 in the wake of a disastrous interview with the BBC about the Epstein scandal.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Experts told Flow Space that this is a step back in requiring universal testing of talc-containing products and puts the burden on the consumer to figure out which products are safe.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 23 Dec. 2025
Officers stepped back out into the hallway, where the 29-year-old was holding a box cutter, according to police.
—CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for step back
Cite this Entry
“Step back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20back. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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