back off

verb

backed off; backing off; backs off

intransitive verb

: back down

Synonyms of back off

• back down
• back out
• cop out

Examples of back off in a Sentence

you'd better not back off on your promise to do all the planning for the big dance

Recent Examples on the Web

Costello almost released his earliest recordings 35 years ago, then backed off. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026

Down 3-1 in the eighth, Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto went back-to-back off an obscure reliever named Clayton Kershaw … and then that Nationals team, too, went on to win the World Series. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

After intense opposition from environmentalists and local residents and business owners, the agency backed off plans this year to build a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the park. — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

After intense opposition from environmentalists and local residents and business owners, CBP backed off plans this year to build a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the park. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for back off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

back off

verb

: back down