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 window of opportunity shut right back down, a phenomenon that Arendt explored here by explaining that the close, no longer merely economic connection between the aristocracy and the Jews led to new resentments. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Lolo Jones is not backing down after a harrowing experience with Team USA. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The Rockies’ 2020 first-round pick debuted last season but appeared in just 12 games before being sent back down to Albuquerque. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 11 Aug. 2026 The curious boys climbed onto the roof of their home for a better look, but climbed back down when scolded by their grandmother. — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 7 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Back down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20down. Accessed 15 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on back down

Nglish: Translation of back down for Spanish Speakers

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