back down
Britishverb
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(intr, adverb) to withdraw an earlier claim
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(tr) rowing to cause (a boat) to move backwards by pushing rather than pulling on the oars
noun
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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]
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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.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Some on social media are wondering if the report will also bring the announcement of a stock split that brings the high-flying share price back down to earth for retail investors.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
The company’s shares recently soared from below $150 at the end March to roughly $848 last week, before crashing back down in a topsy-turvy short squeeze.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
“It was interesting, the reception that I got. But I don’t back down, and I will go everywhere. I will talk to everyone,” he said.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026
The balloon rises to as high as 121-thousand feet, three times as high as a commercial aircraft flies, before it explodes, sending the bag of film back down to earth.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
“I thought I did,” Danny said, and set the ship back down.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
