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.
But this week, the Federal Reserve could bring highflying parts of Wall Street back down to earth.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 14, 2026
A U.S. helicopter crash spurred an escalation that led both sides to back down and negotiate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Rupert Mannion is a creature of corrosive spite, lording his recent divorce over his ex-wife throughout Season1 and popping around to cut her back down to size whenever she seems to be doing well.
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
"Imagine kissing and then walking back down the aisle to that? I love that song."
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
She heads back down the stairs, and I wish I could escape into someone else’s fictional world with problems that have nothing to do with me—but I make myself pick up.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
