as in to back down
to break a promise or agreement
she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back out
Ready to break that green thumb back out?
—
Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
Some buyers have also backed out of sales.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Beck also backed out of the draft to transfer to the Hurricanes.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
Eventually, our next cold front will sweep the fog back out to sea, leaving behind drier and colder air.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back out
Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 4 Feb. 2026
Some buyers have also backed out of sales.
—Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Beck also backed out of the draft to transfer to the Hurricanes.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
Eventually, our next cold front will sweep the fog back out to sea, leaving behind drier and colder air.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for back out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back out
Verb
-
Crashes, luge athletes will tell you, are part of the game, a necessary teaching tool that helps young lugers learn how to navigate sliding on their back down an icy course, sometimes faster than 90 miles per hour.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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This will help to push the warm air that rises toward the ceiling back down toward floor level.—
Erin Huffstetler,
The Spruce,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But a large number of job gains might make Federal Reserve policymakers back off any further interest-rate cuts this year.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Since then, the White House has been negotiating with its trading partners, backing off on some of the more aggressive charges while maintaining tough talk on issues.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, there were 652 officers on the force, with nearly 100 cops out on some kind of administrative or medical leave.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Aug. 2025
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But with that brief wave of hope came new footage on Twitter every night of the NYPD acting like bad cops out of a Harvey Keitel flick: cops harassing peaceful crowds, cops kettling activists, cops literally driving a car into a crowd of protestors.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Minneapolis, Minnesota — Her long dark hair flowing from a bright pink beanie, the 11-year-old from Ecuador calmly recalled her mother venturing out of their small South Minneapolis apartment last Monday morning for the first time in a month and a half.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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But Malinin, who used to be nervous about choosing music for himself at the risk of not being liked, Weir recalled, leaned into two of his most personal programs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Back out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20out. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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