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.
He played a key role in persuading Trump during his first term to back off plans to remove U.S. troops from Syria, ruled at the time by Bashar al-Assad, who was later deposed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Once again Rutte stepped in to talk Trump down, getting him to back off with a compromise that kicked the issue down the road.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
Tegan explained the grooming firm picked Honey up from her home in Fochriw and dropped her back off.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Then, his blind shot to the ninth green came back off the front of the green.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 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
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.
