as in backed out
to break a promise or agreement
you'd better not back off on your promise to do all the planning for the big dance
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Recent Examples of backed off
The administration backed off ending the government conservatorship of the mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
—
ABC News, 2 May 2026
Officers briefly chased the suspect through Highland Park, but backed off.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
When OutKick asked him directly about his comments, Kerr backed off.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The younger man backed off and Lacaille drove away.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Hialeah eventually backed off of the effort.
—Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
And some have backed off from a legal fight altogether and sold their refund rights to investment firms, often at a deep discount, figuring that getting something is better than risk getting nothing.
—Alison Graham Larson, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Less than a month later, TSA committed to boost staffing, and Southwell backed off his threat.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026
In each instance, officials backed off after residents objected.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 2 May 2026
Officers briefly chased the suspect through Highland Park, but backed off.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
When OutKick asked him directly about his comments, Kerr backed off.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The younger man backed off and Lacaille drove away.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Hialeah eventually backed off of the effort.
—Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
And some have backed off from a legal fight altogether and sold their refund rights to investment firms, often at a deep discount, figuring that getting something is better than risk getting nothing.
—Alison Graham Larson, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Less than a month later, TSA committed to boost staffing, and Southwell backed off his threat.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026
In each instance, officials backed off after residents objected.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backed off
Verb
-
The creators of Conan the Barbarian (1982), with whom Mattel had a contract to create a Conan toy line before the toy company backed out, sued Mattel in 1984.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
-
But the seller backed out of the deal.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Turner eventually backed down, deciding the colorization process was not cost-efficient.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
Benavidez, even when being backed down by Ramirez, delivered his signature rapid-fire combinations, usually pelting his opponent's head.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backed off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backed%20off. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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