pushback
Americannoun
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pushbacks
plural
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a mechanism that forces an object backward.
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opposition or resistance to a plan, action, statement, etc..
The regulations got some pushback from farmers.
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the forcing of an enemy to withdraw.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pushback
First recorded in 1940–45; push ( def. ) + back 2 ( def. )
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.
See Examples For:
One sign that men are no longer widely viewed as the default face of political power is that women are competing for that power in larger numbers, and with less pushback or even notice.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
It is frequently criticised by migrant rights groups who accuse it of engaging in the illegal "pushback" of migrants.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
“We don’t expect material regulatory pushback given the strength from Amazon and Walmart here.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
It triggered a strong pushback from the Palace.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
She listened to the war reports on Radio Biafra more carefully, as if there might be clues about Ugwu in the ebullient voice reporting the pushback of the vandals, the successes of gallant Biafran soldiers.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Notice how persistent the resistance has been, with pushbacks in October 2024, February 2025, and again last June.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
Last January the European Court of Human Rights found Greece guilty of illegal and "systematic" pushbacks of asylum seekers to Turkey.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2025
Gascón’s data-driven pushbacks have done little to chip at public perceptions of crime run amok.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2024
Malta has denied engaging in pushbacks, which the European Court of Human Rights has declared illegal under international law.
From Reuters ● Oct. 17, 2023
Greece has strenuously denied it engages in the practice known as pushbacks.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023
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