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.
But experts caution that escalating pressure does not necessarily mean Tehran will back down. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Walzer responded thoughtfully to each of the critiques, but without backing down. — Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 President Reagan showed us that projecting strength can force an adversary to back down. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 For Moscow, though, the deals, the incentives, and even the shared disdain for Kyiv are not seen as a cue to play ball and back down, but as a sign that its US strategy is yielding results. — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 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
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