as in hesitating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hanging back Dad is hanging back in the doorway. —
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025 After Fester fried the hospital's power grid, allowing the LOIS patients to escape and begin attacking Judi, Wednesday noticed that one female patient was hanging back. —Megan McCluskey, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025 After Fester fried the hospital's power grid, allowing the LOIS patients to escape and begin attacking Judi, Wednesday noticed that one female patient was hanging back. —Megan McCluskey, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanging back
Verb
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Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.— NPR Staff, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
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The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Magic played well before faltering down the stretch and had to win an elimination game in the play-in tournament.— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
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In some ways, the pair of them have become symbolic of the hope that this team can rise again after faltering in recent weeks.— Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hanging back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/hanging%20back. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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