pushback (pluralpush backs)
- Alternative spelling ofpushback
pushback (third-person singular simple presentpushes back,present participlepushing back,simple past and past participlepushed back)
- Torefute orargue against a position or an accusation; to express one's own view on a situation.
The scandal is growing legs. We need to startpushing back.
- Topostpone.
The Friday meeting keeps gettingpushed back to the following week.
- (migration) To summarilyexpelasylum seekers, especially in violation of the principle ofnon-refoulement.
2021 May 5, Lorenzo Tondo, “Revealed: 2,000 refugee deaths linked to illegal EU pushbacks”, inThe Guardian[1]:EU member states have used illegal operations topush back at least 40,000 asylum seekers from Europe’s borders during the pandemic[…]
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically:seepush,back.
