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
Once the Adams Administration threatened to send in troops, protestors quickly backed down and promised to obey the law.
—
Time, 2 July 2025
This pressure can cause sharp pain that radiates from your lower back down one leg.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 2 July 2025
The House didn’t back down on its changes over the weekend, despite public pressure from Patrick to keep pensions and judicial pay linked.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The justices kicked the cases challenging the birthright citizenship policy back down to the lower courts, where judges will have to decide how to tailor their orders to comply with the new ruling.
—Tim Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Time, 2 July 2025
This pressure can cause sharp pain that radiates from your lower back down one leg.
—Brandi Jones, Health, 2 July 2025
The House didn’t back down on its changes over the weekend, despite public pressure from Patrick to keep pensions and judicial pay linked.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
The justices kicked the cases challenging the birthright citizenship policy back down to the lower courts, where judges will have to decide how to tailor their orders to comply with the new ruling.
—Tim Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for back down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back down
Verb
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With Alcala back out to begin the third, the Rays took a 4-1 lead on three unearned runs.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
12 July 2025
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Which is why Sherry Sweeney turns around and heads right back out, hoping to make more of those reunions happen.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
12 July 2025
Verb
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But when the administration later backed off, markets rebounded.—
,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
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And instead of trying again, your manager backed off.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
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But with that brief wave of hope came new footage on Twitter every night of the NYPD acting like bad cops out of a Harvey Keitel flick: cops harassing peaceful crowds, cops kettling activists, cops literally driving a car into a crowd of protestors.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
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The relative lack of substance across the board can’t help feeling like a cop out for a show that’s been capable of a lot more.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
14 June 2025
Verb
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For many of these patients, their fears recall past traumas: from their home countries, their journeys to the United States, and their settlement.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
1 July 2025
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Leslie recalls a moment when her son’s Spanish teacher was astonished at his fluency.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20down. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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