Phrasal verb
hang back from
Definition
phrasal verb. to stay behind or move more slowly than others because you are nervous or want to wait.
phrasal verb. to delay moving forward or to maintain a distance from a group or activity, often due to hesitation, caution, or a desire for observation.
Examples
“I usually hang back from the crowd to avoid the noise.”
“While the other children ran toward the clown, the shy boy decided to hang back from the group.”
“Several investors chose to hang back from the initial funding round, preferring to wait for more stable market indicators before committing their capital.”
Examples
simple
“I usually hang back from the crowd to avoid the noise.”
contextual
“While the other children ran toward the clown, the shy boy decided to hang back from the group.”
complex
“Several investors chose to hang back from the initial funding round, preferring to wait for more stable market indicators before committing their capital.”
Usage
often used with 'from' to indicate the group or activity being avoided.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'hold back' (which implies physical restraint or keeping a secret) and 'lag behind' (which implies being slower than others rather than a choice to stay back).
Pitfall
He hung back the group.
He hung back from the group.
the preposition 'from' is necessary to connect the action to the specific group or place being avoided.
Phrasal verb
Particles
back from
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hang + back + from + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hang-back-from