Meanings
verbstand back (third-person singular simple present stands back, present participle standing back, simple past and past participle stood back)
present singular third person stands back · participle present standing back · participle past stood back · past stood back
- intransitiveTo maintain distance.
You had better stand back and let me operate the chainsaw.
- intransitiveTo abstain from participation.
While others debated the proposals, he stood back.
- intransitiveball games(of a wicket-keeper) to stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler
Synonyms & antonyms
verbstay clear of, avoid
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 保持距離 /保持距离, 不介入
- 保持距離 /保持距离 (bǎochí jùlí)maintain a safe distance
- 不介入 (bù jièrù)to abstain from participation
- 置身事外 (zhìshēnshìwài)to abstain from participation
Finnish katsoa vierestä
- katsoa vierestämaintain a safe distance
French reculer, se taire
- reculermaintain a safe distance
- se taireto abstain from participation
- s'abstenirto abstain from participation
German zurückbleiben, zurücktreten
- zurückbleibenmaintain a safe distance
- zurücktretenmaintain a safe distance
- zurückhaltento abstain from participation
Portuguese distanciar-se, ir para trás
- distanciar-semaintain a safe distance
- ir para trásmaintain a safe distance
- afastar-semaintain a safe distance
- sair de pertomaintain a safe distance
- dar espaçomaintain a safe distance
- dar distânciamaintain a safe distance
- recuarmaintain a safe distance
- ficar de longemaintain a safe distance
- ficar afastadomaintain a safe distance
- ficar de forato abstain from participation
Russian держа́ться сза́ди, отступа́ть
- держа́ться сза́ди (deržátʹsja szádi)maintain a safe distance
- отступа́ть (otstupátʹ)maintain a safe distance
- отступи́ть (otstupítʹ)maintain a safe distance
- отходи́ть (otxodítʹ)maintain a safe distance
- отойти́ (otojtí)maintain a safe distance
- остава́ться в стороне́ (ostavátʹsja v storoné)to abstain from participation
- не вме́шиваться (ne vméšivatʹsja)to abstain from participation
Vietnamese đứng ngoài
- đứng ngoàito abstain from participation
Cite this entry
APA
stand back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20back
MLA
“stand back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20back. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stand back,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20back.
Source: stand back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.