as in retreating
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
resistance from native forces was greater than expected, and the invading army was forced to fall back
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of falling back
Ellison briefly became the second-ever person to cross the $400 billion mark, before falling back down to $388 billion by late afternoon.
—
Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The initial velocity an object would have to travel at to avoid falling back to the ground is called the escape velocity.
—Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
In fact, Charon's ancient interior may be falling back onto the surface of Charon today.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
This put the rocket on a trajectory to soar to a peak altitude of 119 miles (192 kilometers), passing over the Atlantic Ocean, South Africa, and then the Indian Ocean before falling back into the atmosphere.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The idea of there being a comfort of falling back into a routine feels prescient right now.
—Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The initial velocity an object would have to travel at to avoid falling back to the ground is called the escape velocity.
—Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
In fact, Charon's ancient interior may be falling back onto the surface of Charon today.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
This put the rocket on a trajectory to soar to a peak altitude of 119 miles (192 kilometers), passing over the Atlantic Ocean, South Africa, and then the Indian Ocean before falling back into the atmosphere.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The idea of there being a comfort of falling back into a routine feels prescient right now.
—Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling back
Verb
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With a signature bright plum lip and highlight in her hair, Williams, 61, kept her people close but didn't shy away from the camera, allowing the fashion week photogs to capture her for a solid 15 minutes before retreating to one of the presentation's regal showrooms.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
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That is because buyers have been retreating from the market due to ongoing affordability issues, including still-rising home prices, historically elevated mortgage rates, and growing economic concern linked to government policies.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Duncan even contemplated mounting a third-party challenge to Trump as a No Labels candidate last year before withdrawing his name from consideration.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Biden administration had weighed withdrawing antitrust immunity for the joint venture, which began in 2016.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Surveillance video shows Cobos-Martinez leaving the motel room, pulling out a machete and attacking Nagamallaiah.—
Nic F. Anderson,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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Good on Iain for pulling out two miracles in one show.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some backups go through every tiny detail of the pre and at-snap routine, even dropping back with a ball in their hand but stopping short of throwing it.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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As moisture increases later this week, a cooling trend will commence with temperatures dropping back into the normal range by Friday.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Prescott and Carter exchanged words after the opening kickoff, and Carter spit on Prescott’s jersey before backing away.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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After backing away from a controversial logo rebrand loudly opposed by many right-wing influencers, Cracker Barrel also quietly made changes to its website this week.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For those seeking sunshine, safety, and affordability, retiring abroad is more appealing than ever.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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Policy and lifecycle management operate through declarative APIs and user interface controls for creating, deploying, updating and retiring agents.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Falling back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/falling%20back. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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