as in backing off
to break a promise or agreement
she backed out on her offer to help with the wedding planning
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Recent Examples of backing out
Early decision is not a legal contract, but there can be serious consequences from backing out of acceptance.
—
Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
When backing out the federal business, the rest of world security order growth increased by double digits in the fourth quarter.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
When backing out the federal business, the rest of world security order growth increased by double digits in the fourth quarter.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backing out
Verb
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And yet governments and corporations are now backing off on previous climate goals, and the planet's annual greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
11 Sep. 2025
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But Pages did not pursue it to the wall, backing off to play the ball on a bounce.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Still, manager Aaron Boone isn't backing down.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Rather than backing down, entrepreneurs are pushing forward.—
Anna Horndahl,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backing%20out. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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