chickened (out)

Definition of chickened (out)next
past tense of chicken (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickened (out)
Verb
  • Some left-wing groups have backed off their insistence on filibuster elimination, at least for now.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
  • In each instance, officials backed off after residents objected.
    Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The school allegedly backed out of the lease.
    Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The Raiders-Ravens deal for Maxx Crosby was the rare blockbuster that somehow became a boomerang after Baltimore backed out with medical concerns.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Getting backed down by Dončić was only one piece of an embarrassing bloodbath for the Bulls that highlighted every facet of this team’s defensive deficiencies.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Apple never backed down and the FBI found a way to unlock the phone anyway, using bugs that already existed in Apple’s code, effectively providing the back door that law enforcement sought in the first place.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chickened (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickened%20%28out%29. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster