chicken (out)

verb

Definition of chicken (out)next
as in to back out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicken (out)
  1. back out
  2. back down
  3. cop out
  4. back off
Verb
  • Venables sent his offense back out to the field down 21-20, and the Navy defense slammed the door shut.
    Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The Gators also completed a major coup with their 2025 class when Tampa Bay Tech 5-star prospect Dallas Wilson backed out of his commitment to Oregon and signed with the Gators Dec. 22.
    Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of back out
Verb
  • After a brief media firestorm, officials backed down slightly, saying yesterday Carlsen would return to the event and the dress code rules would be less stringent.
    Chris Branch, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Advertisement With Proposition 36 now in effect, several other California officials have vowed to use the power of new legislation to hold people accountable, and criminal justice reform advocates show no signs of backing down.
    Koko Nakajima, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Definition of back down
Verb
  • Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, also condemned Israel’s move dubbing it a cop out.
    Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
Definition of cop out
Verb
  • At Arizona State's Peach Bowl media day on Monday, Leavitt didn't back off from those comments.
    Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Obama ultimately backed off on his threats to bomb Syria and cut a deal with Russia to destroy the Assad regime's chemical weapons stockpiles.
    Barak Ravid, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of back off
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near chicken (out)

chicken-livered

chicken (out)

chickens

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Chicken (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicken%20%28out%29. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

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