back down

British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to withdraw an earlier claim

2. (tr) rowing to cause (a boat) to move backwards by pushing rather than pulling on the oars

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noun

1. abandonment of an earlier claim

back down Idioms  

1. Reverse one's upward course, descend. For example, When she saw the wasps' nest on the roof, she hastily backed down the ladder . This literal usage usually refers to something one has climbed, such as a ladder or mountain. [Mid-1800s]

2. Also, back off . Retreat or yield. For example, As the watchdog began to snarl the letter carrier backed off , or You have a good point; now don't back down when you present it to the board . [First half of 1900s] Also see back away , def. 2.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

back down

Ballistic missiles travel into the upper atmosphere or space before plunging back down toward a target, but not all are capable of maneuvering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Chinese users have refused to back down though, with some turning to advocates abroad to air Wang Wang's plight.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Notably, the EPA wants to reduce the emissions-related warranty -- the amount of time makers guarantee their pollution controls will work -- from 450,000 miles back down to 100,000 miles.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

“It comes back down to knowing your audience, where it’s not driven by the fact that you have Fred Again.. performing. It’s a place where it’s familiar and everyone knows each other.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The voice inside Duane was trying to get his attention, trying to tell him to stop and insist that they go back down.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• abandon
• admit
• back off
• back out
• backtrack
• balk
• cancel
• cave in
• concede
• give in
• give up
• pull back
• pull out
• renege
• retreat
• surrender
• take back
• withdraw