pushback

1. (aviation) A procedure in which an aircraft is pushed backwards away from the gate by some external force, usually a special tractor.countableuncountable

2. (figurative) A reversal or reduction.Examples: "Sweden, as well as the UK, recently announced pushbacks on green targets and budgets, while there are negative noises from Germany on building insulation costs."countablefigurativelyuncountable

3. (figurative) Criticism of or resistance to a proposal, stance, or event.Examples: "More pushback from Hill on eavesdropping [title]"; "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."; "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."countablefigurativelyuncountable

4. (international law) Summary expulsion of asylum seekers, especially when violating the principle of non-refoulement.Examples: ""Every single pushback represents a violation of international and EU law – whether it involves violence or not.""; "Jasmin Redjepi, president of Legis, said the “disturbing and degrading” pushbacks came shortly after an EU-Serbian border cooperation summit, aimed at strengthening the Serbian border against people-smuggling operations."countableuncountable