English

Alternative forms

• push back
• push-back

Noun

pushback ‎(countable and uncountable, plural pushbacks)

1. The act of repelling (an enemy, etc).
2. A procedure in which an aircraft is pushed backwards away from the gate by some external force, usually a special tractor.
3. Criticism of or resistance to a proposal, stance, or event.
   • 19 December 2014, Paul M Farber in The Guardian Online, Die-ins demand that we bear witness to black people's fears that they'll be next

     We’ve seen that before, too: civil rights era sit-ins and freedom rides with multiracial participants drew the fierce ire of authorities alike, but black protesters were far more likely to be targeted with harsh jail sentences and violent pushback.

   • March 01 2006, Peter Grier, The Christian Science Monitor, headline of an article

     More pushback from Hill on eavesdropping

   • Sept 28 2006, op-ed article on Bill Clinton, Washington Post:

     Moreover, when Democrats, notably former House minority leader Richard Gephardt, finally put their heads up in the late spring of 2002 to ask questions about that Aug. 6, 2001, memo warning of the possibility of terrorist attacks, the Republican pushback was furious.

4. (rare, nonstandard) Backlash of any sort.

Dutch

Etymology

From English pushback.

Noun

pushback m ‎(plural pushbacks, diminutive pushbackje n)

1. the pushing back of a plane by a pushback tractor to help it manoeuver
2. the pushing back of refugees and migrants

Derived terms

• (pushing back of refugees and migrants): pushbackbeleid