Hang back
2 meanings · select one to explore
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Meaning 1 of 3
Definition
To hesitate or stay behind, avoiding involvement
Example sentence
He hung back while the others went ahead.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
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Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.
Common pattern: hang back + (from something)
hang back nervously
hang back from the group
hang back and watch
hang back a bit
Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.
Everyone hung back near the entrance. ✅ (Correct)
Everyone hung near the entrance back. ❌ (Incorrect — "back" cannot be separated from "hang")