as in withdrawal
an act of moving away especially from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable
the pullback was necessary so that the commanders could reorganize their units and reassess the situation
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Recent Examples of pullback
The stock market’s buoyancy can be pinned to relief about the ceasefire, the pullback in oil prices, strong forecasts for earnings season and a recent rebound in tech stocks.
—
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Despite the pullback in sales, home prices continued to rise last month.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
But the only peace on Concrète Waves is the occasional pullback, a calming of the storm rather than the coming of a resolution.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
The multibillion-dollar Stargate project is part of the ChatGPT maker’s expanding AI infrastructure buildout, but the pullback marks a blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to make the UK a global AI hub.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pullback
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Despite the pullback in sales, home prices continued to rise last month.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
But the only peace on Concrète Waves is the occasional pullback, a calming of the storm rather than the coming of a resolution.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
The multibillion-dollar Stargate project is part of the ChatGPT maker’s expanding AI infrastructure buildout, but the pullback marks a blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to make the UK a global AI hub.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pullback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pullback
Noun
-
Britain’s strategic significance for the United States eroded further with Brexit, starting in 2016 with the approval of a referendum to leave the European Union and the formal withdrawal four years later.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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The government later broke ties with France, the former colonial power, and expelled the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which completed its withdrawal in 2023, ending a decade-long presence in the country.—
Jewel Bright,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Consider planning something restorative for the second half of the month, like a wellness retreat, a quiet escape, or simply a change of scenery that asks nothing of you.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
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While the retreat center was not a primarily political place, its critics mostly ignored its political ambitions and successes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pullback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pullback. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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