as in withdrew
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fell back
Verb
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The South American country withdrew visa-free access in April in response to the three countries barring Brazilian passport holders from visa-free access.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025 -
The South African played this weekend in the PGA Tour's Bank of Utah Championship, but withdrew after the first round.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The 18-year-old broke free, fled on foot and allegedly pulled out a semi-automatic hand gun, which Bettison said was recovered by police.—
Andrea May Sahouri,
Freep.com,
22 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this year, the mayor's office pulled out of advocacy for modernizing the state's energy standards after months of meetings and engagement on the issue, The Courier Journal previously reported based on email records and interviews.—
Connor Giffin,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fell back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell%20back. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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