beat back

VERB

repel

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chase away confront drive away drive off fend off hold off rebuff resist ward off withstand

STRONG

buck check cool cut decline dismiss disown dispute duel fight kick oppose parry rebut refuse reject traverse

WEAK

beat off brush off cast aside drive back force back force off give cold shoulder to hold back keep at arm's length keep at bay keep off knock down push back put down put to flight stand up against stave off turn down

Antonyms

STRONG

accept agree aid allow approve assist help increase sanction support

WEAK

attract draw

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Norwegian family drama, Sentimental Value, beat back stiff competition in the best film not in the English language category, including Brazilian thriller The Secret Agent.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

If you opt for private sessions, there’s a misconception that it will involve revealing your innermost secrets, perhaps while lying on a couch, as a therapist prods you to beat back your demons.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

The company has faced skepticism over computing deals it has forged that are worth hundreds of billions of dollars and issued a “code red” to beat back a growing threat from Google.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

In early October, CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator went on Bloomberg TV and tried to beat back the revolt.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

A civil defense official in Las Vegas, Nevada, recommended the formation of a five-thousand-man militia—not to fight Russians, but to beat back Californians who might arrive once the bombs began to fall.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

beat back

Example Sentences

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