Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickened (out)
Verb
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Trump appears to have backed off those tariffs—for now—but the markets (and much of Europe) reacted sharply to the threat.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026 -
Late in the second half, Kuhr backed off the blitz some and called more Cover 2 to reduce the chances of a breakaway touchdown that could fast-track Houston's comeback efforts.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Will Arnett will fill David Harbour's shoes after the Stranger Things star backed out of director Tony Gilroy's upcoming drama, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
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But contracts for the sale fell through and would-be buyers backed out.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The administration has eased its tone and admitted mistakes in its immigration enforcement campaign since Pretti’s killing, but hasn’t backed down completely or paused operations in Minneapolis, as critics demanded.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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And Zelensky just hasn’t backed down, and Zelensky’s had the temerity to take him on, on a number of occasions, to push back.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Chickened (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickened%20%28out%29. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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