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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Recent Examples of back down
Note that iced coffee, which involves brewing coffee hot and then icing it back down, is not cold brew.
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Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
One by one, however, as the event’s end time inched near, attendees headed back down to the posh hotel’s lobby—those clad in the brand’s new garb surely among the best dressed in the establishment.
—Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2024
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, accusing the country's main opposition party of being overly sympathetic to North Korea − before backing down under pressure.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
But that all being said, she's shown remarkable courage and remarkable strength in not backing down.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back down 
Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024
One by one, however, as the event’s end time inched near, attendees headed back down to the posh hotel’s lobby—those clad in the brand’s new garb surely among the best dressed in the establishment.
—Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2024
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, accusing the country's main opposition party of being overly sympathetic to North Korea − before backing down under pressure.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
But that all being said, she's shown remarkable courage and remarkable strength in not backing down.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back down
Verb
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Daughtry, citing Trump’s endorsement, backed out and endorsed Knott.Mark Harris, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024
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Joel, who ended a residency of his own at Madison Square Garden over the summer, will next perform on Long Island for New Year's Eve before heading back out on the road early next year.Sarah Michaud, People.com, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
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And, though houses have gotten much bigger over the long term, home builders have backed off a bit in recent years.Zachary Crockett, thehustle.co, 13 Dec. 2024
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Lewis, the No. 35 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 in the 247Sports Composite, had been committed to USC for more than a year but backed off that pledge on Nov. 17.David Ubben, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
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He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
Verb
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Additionally in November, Volkswagen recalled over 114,000 vehicles across the U.S. due to concerns over the risk of an airbag exploding.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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One intelligence officer tasked with authorizing a strike recalled dedicating roughly 20 seconds to personally confirming a target, which could amount to verifying that the individual in question was male.Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near back down
Cite this Entry
“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20down. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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