Hanging back
Waiting and hanging back are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Waiting" instead the phrase "Hanging back" as a noun or an adjective.
Waiting
Waiting adjective - Being and remaining ready and available for use.
Hanging back and waiting are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Hanging back" instead the word "Waiting" as a noun or an adjective.
Both terms in one sentence
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There are moments where the mooks are clearly hanging back and waiting for their cue, but on the other hand Dae-su takes more than a few hits (including a knife in the back) because mooks keep attacking him from behind and knocking him down and gang-stomping him.
Source: Mook Chivalry - In the computer game Dungeon Siege 2 the special class abilities refill only when you fight, but the more you fight the faster they refill, meaning there's no need for tedious hanging back and waiting for your big attack to reload.
Source: Limit Break / Video Games
Cite this Source
Waiting and Hanging back. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 02, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/hanging_back/waiting
Hanging back & Waiting. N.p., 2016. Web. 02 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/hanging_back/waiting>.
Waiting or Hanging back. 2016. Accessed August 02, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/hanging_back/waiting.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "hanging back" and "waiting" have occurred on timeline