back out

verb

backed out; backing out; backs out

intransitive verb

: to withdraw especially from a commitment or contest

Examples of back out in a Sentence

she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning
Recent Examples on the Web The capital of the Czech Republic is pushing back out of concern about local residents’ quality of life. Daniel Wine, CNN, 15 Oct. 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump backed out of also accepting an interview on 60 Minutes after earlier agreeing to do so. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024 Opioids are designed to land on receptors, float back out and then dip in again, a process that only takes around a thousandth of a second. Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2024 Hurricane Milton has moved back out to sea, but additional rainfall and flooding are expected to persist through Thursday in parts of eastern and central Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. Denise Chow, NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for back out 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back out was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near back out

Cite this Entry

“Back out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20out. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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