as in backing out
to break a promise or agreement
you'd better not back off on your promise to do all the planning for the big dance
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Recent Examples of backing off
These and other moves might suggest San Diego is backing off its years-long effort to encourage more housing development with hopes that boosting supply will help moderate sky-high prices.
—
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2026
This began with the system changes agreed upon before the Miami Grand Prix to reduce drivers backing off to boost energy harvesting (when the car’s electrical systems recover power under braking and store it in the battery) and to reduce dangerous closing speeds between cars.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 14 May 2026
His message was mostly aimed at critics on the right who say the administration is backing off.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
But even speaking to a friendly interviewer, Kerr sounds like a guy backing off.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Instead of backing off of their support for the proposal, its Republican supporters are digging in — a sign of how intractable the fight over immigration policy is, even among Trump-supporting Republicans.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Treasury yields and the dollar retreated, with traders backing off some of their more hawkish Federal Reserve bets, pricing in a few basis points worth of easing this year.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2026
This began with the system changes agreed upon before the Miami Grand Prix to reduce drivers backing off to boost energy harvesting (when the car’s electrical systems recover power under braking and store it in the battery) and to reduce dangerous closing speeds between cars.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 14 May 2026
His message was mostly aimed at critics on the right who say the administration is backing off.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
But even speaking to a friendly interviewer, Kerr sounds like a guy backing off.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Instead of backing off of their support for the proposal, its Republican supporters are digging in — a sign of how intractable the fight over immigration policy is, even among Trump-supporting Republicans.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Meadows tried slowing up and backing off at the last second.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Treasury yields and the dollar retreated, with traders backing off some of their more hawkish Federal Reserve bets, pricing in a few basis points worth of easing this year.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backing off
Verb
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Before backing out of the driveway, check the hoses, the belts, and the tires.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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The Chargers reminded Baltimore of the Ravens backing out of their trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby.—
Teresa M. Walker,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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And today, the Cuban government is surging hundreds of thousands of people right past its front door with a clear message -- the Cuban government is not backing down.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
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When Mamdani’s predecessor Eric Adams proposed simply letting schools’ funding shrink along with enrollment, he was sued, protested against, and, eventually, bullied into backing down.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backing%20off. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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