Phrasal verb
hang back
Definition
phrasal verb. to stay behind or wait for a moment instead of moving forward with a group.
phrasal verb. to delay moving forward or taking action, often due to hesitation, caution, or a desire to remain unobserved.
Examples
“I decided to hang back and wait for the crowd to leave.”
“While the rest of the team rushed into the meeting room, Sarah hung back to finish her phone call.”
“The younger soldiers tended to hang back during the initial advance, waiting for a signal from their commanding officer before proceeding into the valley.”
Examples
simple
“I decided to hang back and wait for the crowd to leave.”
contextual
“While the rest of the team rushed into the meeting room, Sarah hung back to finish her phone call.”
complex
“The younger soldiers tended to hang back during the initial advance, waiting for a signal from their commanding officer before proceeding into the valley.”
Usage
usually used without a direct object; often followed by 'from' or 'behind'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'hold back' (which implies active restraint or keeping a secret) versus 'hang back' (which is more about physical positioning or social hesitation).
Pitfall
He hunged back at the door.
He hung back at the door.
the past tense of 'hang' in this context is the irregular form 'hung', not 'hunged'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
back
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hang + back
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hang-back