chickening (out)

present participle of chicken (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chickening (out)
Verb
  • Small investors are backing out of artificial intelligence stocks ahead of SpaceX’s market debut, according to VandaTrack.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 11 June 2026
  • Sources said a different Big 12 team, TCU, was the initial target before backing out of what essentially is a home game for the Aztecs.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The sharp improvement to +4 percentage points from -15 percentage points has come with a surge in stocks that followed the president backing off in from sweeping reciprocal tariffs and the passage of tax legislation.
    Steve Liesman, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The deal with Mexico amounted to Trump backing off his previous vow that there would be no extensions to trade talks beyond the midnight deadline.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • Democrats are doubling down that Republicans are the ones to blame for federal workers’ pain, arguing that backing down and voting for the GOP continuing resolution will likely come back to haunt them.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is not backing down in its fight against National Public Radio.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
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

“Chickening (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chickening%20%28out%29. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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