back off
Britishverb
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(intr) to retreat
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(tr) to abandon (an intention, objective, etc)
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See back down , def. 2.
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Relent, abandon one's stand. For example, The chairman wanted to sell one division but later backed off . [Mid-1900s]
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 following that raid, then-White House deputy chief of staff, James Blair, instructed federal officials to back off such large-scale enforcement efforts, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Here, he felt pole was his had he not been told to back off on what he felt would have been his fastest lap after he came across Albon in the twisty middle sector.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
But negotiations have failed for months to get back off the ground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is reportedly weighing whether to back off his plan to buy eBay outright and to find a different way to work with the online auction site instead.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
I thought for sure Martin had dropped right back off into sleep until he asked, “Where are we going after that?”
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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