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.
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
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
“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
As they headed back down the mountain and began to drive off, things began to go wrong.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
On the way back down the hill, I rounded a bend and saw somebody waving at me, friendly-like.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
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.
