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Glite Dictionary
to beat back

to beat back

14 6.0
To force someone or something to move away
  • phrasal verb
  • /biːt bæk/
translation icon : hacer retroceder
  • The firefighters worked tirelessly to beat back the flames that threatened the nearby houses.

He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country.

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Examples

  • We absolutely have it within us, collectively, to beat back the forces of chaos once again.

    Blog text (15)

  • You beat back despair and replaced it with hope.

    The Postman (1997)

  • The pack has been able to kill or beat back every threat.

    Blog text (3)

  • Five fierce dogs I beat back with these bare hands.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • Ultimately, Tyre was able to beat back the Babylonians, but not without cost.

  • Eventually, Osama and the Afghan fighters beat back the Soviet Union.

  • The university, aware that other institutions would entice its professors, budgeted funds to beat back the competition.

    Academic text (2016)

  • Floyd has devoted significant time to developing the strategic plan to beat back the advancement of the cactus moth.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Oussama Romdhani reports on Tunisia's struggle to beat back the forces of jihad and remain the success story of the Arab Spring.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

to fight back
vsto beat back
188 3.3

Resist an attack or criticism by responding

focuses on forcing retreat rather than responding with retaliation
to push back
vsto beat back
97 3.9

Force a person or thing to move backward in body and feeling

is mainly about physically forcing someone to move away by effort
to repel
vsto beat back
21 4.2

Make someone or something move back and stay away, often by using force

focuses on active, determined effort to force a retreat
to drive back
vsto beat back
19 4.1

Force someone or something to move away from danger

stresses determined effort as the cause of that retreat
to force back
vsto beat back
10 4.9

Make people or things move backward by using strength and stop feelings by holding them back

adds the idea of determined, continued effort to that action
to repulse
vsto beat back
7 7.0

To make someone or something go away

highlights persistent effort to cause the withdrawal
to chase off
vsto beat back
6 3.3

Make someone or something leave a place by running after and frightening them

covers wider forceful effort, not only frightening someone off
to rebuff
vsto beat back
3 7.9

To drive back an attack or enemy force

involves sustained determination rather than a single blunt refusal
to beat off
vsto beat back
  • Informal
1 8.1

Make animals or people who attack you go away

is similar but highlights effort more than just success
to beat off with a stick
vsto beat back
  • Informal
8.8

Push away a lot of people or fans as a joke about being too popular

is serious about making someone retreat through determined effort

Antonyms

to advance
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

to push forward
19 3.1

To keep making progress despite problems

How Forceful

to repel
21 4.2
to drive back
19 4.1
to beat back
14 6.0
to push back
97 3.9

Surface Forms

beat back infinitive
beat back past
beat back past participle
beating back present participle
beats back third person singular

Morphology

beat + back

The meaning 'to force someone or something to move away or retreat' is directly derivable from 'beat' (to strike, drive, or force) combined with the directional particle 'back' (away/behind). This is a standard verb + particle composition in English where the particle gives a directional/resultative sense, so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb beat back creates a clear picture: someone hitting or pushing again and again (beat) toward the back (back) so the attacker or danger is forced to move away. So, it means 'to force someone or something to move away or retreat'.