chicken out
verb
chickened out; chickening out; chickens out
informal
: to decide not to do something because one is afraid
He was going to ask her on a date, but he chickened out at the last minute.
Examples of chicken out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The moves caused critics to claim Trump always chickens out, or TACO, if financial markets show enough pain.
—
Arkansas Online, 27 Mar. 2026
Raccoons can reach through and pull chickens out through holes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
If markets don't sell off violently, does Trump have any reason to chicken out?
—Phil Serafino, Bloomberg, 21 Jan. 2026
Dinners, too, got better, healthier, with the ability to take chicken out of the freezer day-of, wash and prep veggies while listening in on a meeting, or quickly run to the store for an ingredient.
—Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025
Redfish Lake Lodge employee Taryn Smith didn’t chicken out.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 19 Dec. 2025
Turn the burner off, carefully lift the chicken out of the broth, and let cool.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
The reversal in favor of optimism this morning suggests investors now think Trump will eventually chicken out and Washington and Beijing will come to a deal.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Lightly pound chicken out to 1/4-inch thick.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025
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Arkansas Online, 27 Mar. 2026
Raccoons can reach through and pull chickens out through holes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
If markets don't sell off violently, does Trump have any reason to chicken out?
—Phil Serafino, Bloomberg, 21 Jan. 2026
Dinners, too, got better, healthier, with the ability to take chicken out of the freezer day-of, wash and prep veggies while listening in on a meeting, or quickly run to the store for an ingredient.
—Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025
Redfish Lake Lodge employee Taryn Smith didn’t chicken out.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 19 Dec. 2025
Turn the burner off, carefully lift the chicken out of the broth, and let cool.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
The reversal in favor of optimism this morning suggests investors now think Trump will eventually chicken out and Washington and Beijing will come to a deal.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Lightly pound chicken out to 1/4-inch thick.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chicken out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chicken%20out. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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