back down

verb

backed down; backing down; backs down

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.
An opportunity to shove the New York Yankees back down in the standings with the clubs meeting for the regular season’s final time. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 For years, Hollow Knight fans have been trapped in their own cage, waiting for release, lunging at every scrap of news only to be dashed back down. Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025 Hold for one to two seconds, then lower back down. Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025 Despite mounting pressure, Corpus — the county’s first Latina sheriff — shows no signs of backing down. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025 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 9 Sep. 2025.

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
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