back down

verb

backed down; backing down; backs down
Synonyms of back downnext

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from a commitment or position

Examples of back down in a Sentence

if you back down about dinner again, I'm not going to agree to another date
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the Rams had abandoned that type of team building since 2022’s crash back down to earth. Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026 But Paxton and his allies are showing no signs of backing down. ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026 If the plane heaves up, the spoilers can press it back down. Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 Huskies defenseman Kai Janviriya guided the puck back down the ice and was getting ready to possibly send his team home with a victory. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back down

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back down was in 1849

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20down. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

back down

verb
: to retreat from a stand one has taken or from a challenge one has accepted

More from Merriam-Webster on back down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster