back out

verb

backed out; backing out; backs out

intransitive verb

: to withdraw especially from a commitment or contest

Synonyms of back out

• back down
• back off
• cop out
• recall

Examples of back out in a Sentence

she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning

Recent Examples on the Web

Fresh off a four-game road trip, Boston now will head back out for a two-city back-to-back, visiting Brooklyn on Friday and Chicago on Saturday. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026

With snowfall right around the corner, people may be digging back out the snow shovels and snow blowers to ensure driveways, sidewalks and porches are clear. —Greta Cross, USA Today, 21 Jan. 2026

But then the goal is to go back out on our Encore tour in June. —Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state backed out of a 2024 agreement to supply the canines after speaking with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, which has reservation land in Colorado. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for back out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout