as in to back out
to break a promise or agreement
if you back down about dinner again, I'm not going to agree to another date
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back down
The spacecraft ignites its onboard rocket motor, powering its own way to suborbital space, then glides back down for a runway landing here on Earth.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2025
That brain area responds by sending signals back down the vagus nerve to the spleen.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
Allow the kettlebell to come up to chest height before pulling it back down.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 22 Sep. 2025
The Bucs blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead by having a kick to put them up two possessions blocked and returned for a touchdown, only to have Baker Mayfield march the offense back down the field for a game-winning 36-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin with zeros on the clock.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Mike Wall, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2025
That brain area responds by sending signals back down the vagus nerve to the spleen.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
Allow the kettlebell to come up to chest height before pulling it back down.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 22 Sep. 2025
The Bucs blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead by having a kick to put them up two possessions blocked and returned for a touchdown, only to have Baker Mayfield march the offense back down the field for a game-winning 36-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin with zeros on the clock.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back down
Verb
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The president backed out of a meeting tentatively planned for Thursday after a top Republican panned the talks.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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After backing out of Monday's Dawson's Creek cast reunion in New York City due to illness, James Van Der Beek still made a surprise appearance at the event in a sweet video message for attendees and his fellow cast members.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When Parsons then tried to get his agent involved before putting ink to paper, Jones backed off the deal.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Small and mid-sized countries that were energetically pursuing Security Council reform have backed off and are waiting for a clear signal of what—if anything—Trump will say about it.—
Richard Gowan,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
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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Harris recalls her team being prepared for every scenario on election night except her defeat.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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The women were asked to recall these details weeks, months, and in some cases years after the fact, DeNicola says.—
Dominique Mosbergen,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20down. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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