backs (up or away)

present tense third-person singular of back (up or away)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for backs (up or away)
Verb
  • Investopedia made a state-by-state set of estimates for a single retiree who collects the average Social Security benefit of $1,975 a month and withdraws 4% of savings a year.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Cookies should not be set before consent, should appear the moment consent is granted, should persist across the session and should disappear when a visitor withdraws it.
    — Lesa Seibert, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The front retreats to the north, but chances of rain stick around into early Friday as the shortwave (small disturbance) pushes out of the area.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Havelock neither retreats to the closet nor holds out hope for resolution via vigilante justice.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And when the guy is maybe 20 meters away, the cameraman packs up the camera and runs away.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
  • The title refers to a story-fable about a horse that runs away, only to turn up at a time of crisis.
    — Hillel Italie, Fortune, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas said no injuries were reported, but the extent of the damage remains unclear as water slowly recedes.
    — Jason Rantala, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the narrator neither recedes nor reveals any substantial personal information.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The department will also formalize its practice of informing state officials when an officer retires while disciplinary charges are still pending, in order to prevent them from being hired at another policing agency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • SpaceX already retires aging Starlink satellites by burning them up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Brian takes off for Castle Leathers with Murtagh at his side, and Ellen returns to Castle Leoch to face her brothers.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Oviedo’s Camari Solomon takes the pitch from Sebastian Galeano, makes several guys miss and takes off for the 80 yard touchdown run.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backs (up or away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backs%20%28up%20or%20away%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster