as in to hesitate
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
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Recent Examples of hang back
Finke again tried his signature move — hanging back before blitzing past the leaders in a mad dash to the final wall.
—
Rick Maese, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
But many of those demonstrators have since hung back, owing to political exhaustion.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2024
Hinrichs’ best memory so far was at a stop a couple of years ago when a family brought a disabled child but were hanging back from the train to avoid the tussle of the crowd.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
Victor hangs back at Oz’s place while Oz and Sofia go down to the docks to have a look at Alberto’s big mystery shipment.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hang back 
Rick Maese, Washington Post, 31 July 2024
But many of those demonstrators have since hung back, owing to political exhaustion.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2024
Hinrichs’ best memory so far was at a stop a couple of years ago when a family brought a disabled child but were hanging back from the train to avoid the tussle of the crowd.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
Victor hangs back at Oz’s place while Oz and Sofia go down to the docks to have a look at Alberto’s big mystery shipment.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hang back
Thesaurus Entries Near hang back
Cite this Entry
“Hang back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hang%20back. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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