as in backing 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
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 backing off
But even speaking to a friendly interviewer, Kerr sounds like a guy backing off.
—
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Some of their goals from throw-ins, with oppositions backing off in anticipation and possibly fear of one of Pinnock’s long throws, have also come from quick restarts and delivering quality crosses into the box.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Instead of backing off of their support for the proposal, its Republican supporters are digging in — a sign of how intractable the fight over immigration policy is, even among Trump-supporting Republicans.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Treasury yields and the dollar retreated, with traders backing off some of their more hawkish Federal Reserve bets, pricing in a few basis points worth of easing this year.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
Oil backing off from its session high helped equities recover, too.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
Tensions came to a head when Carrie confronted her for backing off.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Some of their goals from throw-ins, with oppositions backing off in anticipation and possibly fear of one of Pinnock’s long throws, have also come from quick restarts and delivering quality crosses into the box.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Instead of backing off of their support for the proposal, its Republican supporters are digging in — a sign of how intractable the fight over immigration policy is, even among Trump-supporting Republicans.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Treasury yields and the dollar retreated, with traders backing off some of their more hawkish Federal Reserve bets, pricing in a few basis points worth of easing this year.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
Oil backing off from its session high helped equities recover, too.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
Tensions came to a head when Carrie confronted her for backing off.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backing off
Verb
-
There was a stunning turn of events in Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday when a Boston man reversed course mid-hearing, backing out of a plea deal that could have led to his release from jail within months.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After backing out of an agreement to trade first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for Crosby, DeCosta was decried as dishonorable, dirty and duplicitous, especially after Baltimore signed another accomplished edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson, to a free-agent deal the following day.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And today, the Cuban government is surging hundreds of thousands of people right past its front door with a clear message -- the Cuban government is not backing down.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
-
When Mamdani’s predecessor Eric Adams proposed simply letting schools’ funding shrink along with enrollment, he was sued, protested against, and, eventually, bullied into backing down.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backing%20off. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
