as in to back down
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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of back off
While Walz supports a state public option in Minnesota, Harris has backed off of previous support for a federal single-payer system such as Medicare for all.
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Max Nesterak, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
Prosecutors asked the grand jury to back off after jurors considered indicting him.
Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024
At the last minute, major Venezuelan officials backed off the ledge.
—Zach Dorfman, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
But the solution isn’t to back off completely or, on the flip side, to control every aspect of the process.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back off 
Max Nesterak, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
Prosecutors asked the grand jury to back off after jurors considered indicting him.
Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024
At the last minute, major Venezuelan officials backed off the ledge.
—Zach Dorfman, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
But the solution isn’t to back off completely or, on the flip side, to control every aspect of the process.
—Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for back off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for back off
Verb
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The main source of that message has been Trump, who has never backed down from his claims that the 2020 elections were stolen from him.Simon Shuster, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
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Petty didn’t back down and MCA changed their plans, enshrining his reputation as an honorable guy who cared more about his fans than his own bottom line.Al Shipley, SPIN, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Cayden Addison, a seven-year-old Black boy battling a rare form Philadelphia chromosome acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), has had two donors back out on him.Pia Velasco, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
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The man seemingly backed out of the parking to prevent his license plate number from being captured.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
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He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Back off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/back%20off. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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