back down

verb

backed down; backing down; backs down
Synonyms of back downnext

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from a commitment or position

Synonyms of back down

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Examples of back down in a Sentence

if you back down about dinner again, I'm not going to agree to another date
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The club backed down, increasing prices by three per cent for this season and introducing a price freeze for the 2027-28 campaign. — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But this solution was temporary and a more permanent replacement was needed as this antenna ensures that astronauts on the space station can quickly transmit critical information back down to Mission Control back on Earth. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter isn’t backing down after the WNBA team ejected former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom from Sunday’s game against the Indiana Fever. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Other artists may have backed down or said they were misquoted, but not Dolly. — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back down

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back down was in 1849

Rhymes for back down

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Browse Nearby Words

backdoor trots
back down
back draft
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Cite this Entry

“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20down. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

back down

verb
: to retreat from a stand one has taken or from a challenge one has accepted
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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