as in to back down
to break a promise or agreement
she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of back out
People tried multiple times and then had to back out and go to a different line.
—
Larry Olmsted,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard and former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan also backed out of the race in April and May, respectively.
—
Dejanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
In Rudolf’s courtroom argument, Carruth had agreed to lend Watkins the money to fund a large-scale marijuana deal, then backed out of the plan.
—
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
Clark and Johnson had enough time to hit a few shots on the driving range before heading right back out for the second round.
—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for back out
Larry Olmsted,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard and former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan also backed out of the race in April and May, respectively.
—
Dejanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
In Rudolf’s courtroom argument, Carruth had agreed to lend Watkins the money to fund a large-scale marijuana deal, then backed out of the plan.
—
Charlotte Observer,
22 June 2026
Clark and Johnson had enough time to hit a few shots on the driving range before heading right back out for the second round.
—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for back out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back out
Verb
-
Three people had apparently been killed, but the men behind the coup had backed down and Gorbachev was being released.
-
Whether La Roja earns another star or comes crashing back down to earth remains to be seen.
Verb
-
Uzbekistan went close to an equaliser before Jaminton Campaz scored in stoppage time, immediately followed by a shot at the other end that thundered back off the crossbar.
-
Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.
Verb
-
Strategic shakeup Usually buying and selling is a cop out, but with where the Red Sox are in their competitive cycle the approach might make some sense.
-
The case, which has only recently come to the attention of POST officials, highlights the limits of state oversight even after lawmakers passed significant police reform aimed at forcing dishonest cops out of the profession.
Verb
-
Teammate Jordan Henderson, now at his fourth World Cup, recalled Kane scoring twice in the opener against Croatia to match Lineker and mistakenly thought this mark was already in Kane’s sole possession.
-
Amon recalled facing questions in 2021 about why Qualcomm was chasing so many rabbits at once, between developing its automotive business, its PC chips and industrial applications.
Cite this Entry
“Back out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20out. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
