chickened (out)

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickened (out)
Verb
  • And some have backed off from a legal fight altogether and sold their refund rights to investment firms, often at a deep discount, figuring that getting something is better than risk getting nothing.
    Alison Graham Larson, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Less than a month later, TSA committed to boost staffing, and Southwell backed off his threat.
    Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The board’s decision to rename the center was followed by an exodus of artists who backed out of events, including Philip Glass and Renee Fleming.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The school allegedly backed out of the lease.
    Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 21 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.

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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 Apr. 2026.

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