as in backed off
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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Recent Examples of backed down
Kimmel is once again on the air throughout the country now that rebellious affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair have backed down and agreed to resume airing his ABC late-night show after a weeklong standoff.
—
Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Danford also hasn’t backed down from physical plays in ugly areas while defending.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The agency backed down within two months.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Eventually, the White House and the Treasury backed down.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Sweeney has yet to address the drama herself, but American Eagle has not backed down.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
While the city has backed down from its request for a consultant, an audit will cost about $15,000 — money the city is not providing but the organization is willing to foot, Pinion said.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
But Low has not backed down from his reporting.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025
Ultimately, the woman backed down, finally leaving and refusing to look or speak to them for the rest of the flight.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Danford also hasn’t backed down from physical plays in ugly areas while defending.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
The agency backed down within two months.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Eventually, the White House and the Treasury backed down.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Sweeney has yet to address the drama herself, but American Eagle has not backed down.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
While the city has backed down from its request for a consultant, an audit will cost about $15,000 — money the city is not providing but the organization is willing to foot, Pinion said.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025
But Low has not backed down from his reporting.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025
Ultimately, the woman backed down, finally leaving and refusing to look or speak to them for the rest of the flight.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backed down
Verb
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Trump had earlier suggested Chicago could be the next target of a National Guard deployment but has since backed off out of concern that doing so without Pritzker’s agreement could create legal headache, sources familiar with the matter told CNN last month.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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Series star James Van Der Beek backed out last minute due to illness, but still made a surprise appearance at the event in a sweet video message for attendees and his fellow cast members.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Sep. 2025
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Utah prep receiver Kai Meza backed out of his commitment to the Gophers football program on Sunday.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backed down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backed%20down. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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