CHICKENED (OUT) Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

chickened (out)

verb

past tense of chicken (out)

as in backed off

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickened (out)

Verb

Florida appears to have backed off its plans to spend nearly $200 million in federal funds meant for electric car chargers on flying cars instead, according to documents obtained by the Miami Herald.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Four-star offensive lineman Jatori Williams backed off his commitment, announcing his decision on social media.

— Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of backed off

Verb

In August, the group backed out of Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival after Skiendiel, 20, sprained her ankle during tour rehearsal.

— Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
When the bidding escalated beyond his threshold, Baffert’s money man backed out, but the trainer, too far gone on the horse, kept raising his hand.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of backed out

Verb

That year, some seven hundred subscribers in Rochester, New York, furious at plans to raise their charges, withheld their payments for eighteen months, until the phone company backed down.

— Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Blessed with an opportunity to step up and make history, the Dodgers backed down.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of backed down

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

chicken

chickened (out)

chicken feed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Chickened (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickened%20%28out%29. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of chickened (out)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cockamamie

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes