as in to back out
to break a promise or agreement
if you back down about dinner again, I'm not going to agree to another date
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of back down
Bring your right arm back down and place it on the inside of your front foot.
—
Andy Fata-Chan, Contributor, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
But the forecast shows a cold front moving in Sunday, bringing temperatures back down to the normal.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025
Neither side appears willing to back down from the territorial dispute.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
There are multiple gates in each of the three sets of locks that elevate ships from sea level on the Atlantic, up eighty-five feet into Gatun Lake, then back down to sea level on the Pacific.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Andy Fata-Chan, Contributor, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
But the forecast shows a cold front moving in Sunday, bringing temperatures back down to the normal.
—Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025
Neither side appears willing to back down from the territorial dispute.
—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
There are multiple gates in each of the three sets of locks that elevate ships from sea level on the Atlantic, up eighty-five feet into Gatun Lake, then back down to sea level on the Pacific.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back down
Verb
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Camara then digs on the ball and still has the speed to close back out to contest the Vucevic three and force the miss.—
Mikai Bruce,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
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Although Trump’s Justice Department recently backed out of the case — which was originally filed under the Biden administration — the case was not dismissed.—
Abby Monteil,
Them,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Private companies, some of which had already begun the transition before Trump took office, remarkably began backing off their DEI policies, even if only symbolically with little internal change.—
Casey Harper | The Center Square,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
15 Feb. 2025
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In an effort to prevent a crash, sheriff’s pursuit cars backed off as the pickup approached the Payette River Canyon.—
Max Silverson,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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About 20 minutes later, the two cops out in front were joined by a third officer.—
Melody Chiu,
People.com,
7 Jan. 2025
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The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The automaker is recalling recalling 240,510 of its 2020-2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles because the seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured, Ford said in a report filed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
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Software recalls are only getting more common As Ars noted last year, the nature of automotive safety recalls is changing.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20down. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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