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 the hardliners appear to have gained the upper hand, and Iran shows no sign of backing down. — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 China, which buys 90% of Iran’s oil, issued a defiant warning to Washington rather than back down. — Yash Roy, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 The Brawling Birds, Alex Windsor and Jamie Hayter, have been two women who have not backed down from challenging Bayne and Kross. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Jelly Roll isn’t backing down from making jokes at the president’s expense, with the country star once again taking aim at Donald Trump‘s physique during his guest-hosting stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 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 4 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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