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

It’s no secret that some members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee favor interest-rate hikes to coax inflation back down.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

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

Christopher, from Swansea, said he had planned to take it back down immediately, but people asked him to keep it there so they could take pictures - sparking backlash about its impact on the environment.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 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

He held up a small black camera that was sitting on the table before plunking it back down to take another bite of his pasta.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

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