as in withdrawn
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 fallen back
The city’s vacancy rate has fallen back to pre-pandemic levels, and new housing construction is at its weakest pace in a decade, the report added.
—
Nino Paoli, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
The Utes have fallen back from their original jump now that their UCLA win isn’t valuable anymore.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
By July, sentiment had recovered, and stock market volatility (the VIX) had fallen back well below the 5-year and 10-year averages.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
But as the 21-year-old surges, another Red Sox outfielder has fallen back into a brutal slump.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Nino Paoli, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
The Utes have fallen back from their original jump now that their UCLA win isn’t valuable anymore.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
By July, sentiment had recovered, and stock market volatility (the VIX) had fallen back well below the 5-year and 10-year averages.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
But as the 21-year-old surges, another Red Sox outfielder has fallen back into a brutal slump.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fallen back
Verb
-
According to the report, the local government in Iwakuni was previously informed by the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau—a local branch of Japan's Defense Ministry—that the American missile system would be withdrawn one week after the war game.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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Some of the more assertive states, including Puntland in the north and Jubaland in the south, have effectively withdrawn from Somalia’s federal system.—
Omar S Mahmood,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Gausman had retired 17 straight Dodger batters until the seventh inning, when Smith yet again got the best of him, hitting a solo home run to break the stale mate.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Panera eventually retired the item, though not immediately (a legal expert posited to CNN that doing so promptly would have read as an admission of guilt, and in turn spur reputational damage).—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At one point in the third quarter, Daniels scrambled against a blitz, stopped to throw, then retreated again 14 yards behind the line of scrimmage and completed a pass while getting crushed to the ground.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Yet, when countered with decisiveness, Putin has retreated.—
Kathleen Collins,
Twin Cities,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Daniels took the snap out of the pistol formation and dropped back to pass in the third quarter.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
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McNeill dropped back and scrambled for a few seconds before finding Kash Kelly in the end zone for a touchdown.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
You guys pulled out all the stops.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
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Joel, Jaime and Zander Zank were going deer hunting together in southern Iowa when the semi-truck pulled out in their path.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fallen back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fallen%20back. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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