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
States have also backed off on strict consequences for schools whose students fail to make progress on standardized tests, Kane said.
—
ABC News, 13 May 2026
States have also backed off on strict consequences for schools whose students fail to make progress on standardized tests, Kane said.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
The singer’s lawyers had initially pushed for an immediate preliminary hearing — in which a judge determines if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring a case to trial — but have since backed off and delayed the process.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 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
ABC News, 13 May 2026
States have also backed off on strict consequences for schools whose students fail to make progress on standardized tests, Kane said.
—CBS News, 13 May 2026
The singer’s lawyers had initially pushed for an immediate preliminary hearing — in which a judge determines if prosecutors have enough evidence to bring a case to trial — but have since backed off and delayed the process.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 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
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
-
Wednesday, a white van backed down the driveway.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
-
Turner eventually backed down, deciding the colorization process was not cost-efficient.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backed off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backed%20off. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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