back out
Britishverb
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Move or retreat backwards without turning; same as back away , def. 1.
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Also, back out of something . Withdraw from a situation, or break an agreement or engagement. For example, After the announcement appeared in the papers, Mary found it doubly difficult to back out of her engagement to Todd . [Early 1800s] Also see go back on .
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.
"I felt like I needed to do that for the kids so there is some form of normality until we can get back out there and all be together."
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
Back then, when utility funds boomed and then busted, money had poured into sector funds when returns were hot, then sloshed back out when performance went cold, locking in severe losses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
And the time he said he was willing to buy Twitter, only to try to back out of the deal?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
"Writing the record is only half the problem. You also have to read it back out of each cell, so we redesigned the tape to make that easier," said Kim.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
The base would reflect the light, sending it back out again.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
