step back
Move backwards, or stop for a moment and think about the bigger picture.
Meanings
To move one's body backward, away from something.
"She stepped back when the dog ran towards her."
To pause and look at a situation more broadly and objectively, without being caught up in the details.
"Before responding to the email, he stepped back and thought about what outcome he really wanted."
"Sometimes you need to step back and look at the bigger picture."
— Widely attributed expression in management and coaching literature (general attribution)
To reduce one's involvement or withdraw from an active role, often temporarily.
"After her surgery, she stepped back from her responsibilities at the charity."
The figurative sense is extremely common in professional, therapeutic, and educational contexts. 'Take a step back' is a very frequent fixed phrase. The physical sense is straightforward and literal.
Commonly used with
Forms
Understand "step back" better
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Synonyms
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "step back" on Looplines