back down

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌbæk ˈdaʊn/
US: /ˌbæk ˈdaʊn/

  1. To admit that you are wrong or that you will not do something that you were planning to do because people do not agree with you.

    1. He had to back down when faced with the evidence. [ ] [ ]
    2. Neither side is willing to back down from the dispute, making a resolution unlikely. [ ] [ ]

  2. To withdraw or retreat from a position or commitment.

    1. The company was forced to back down on its plans. [ ] [ ]
    2. She refused to back down on her demands, even when threatened with legal action. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

yield retreat capitulate withdraw concede
back down noun

  1. An act of withdrawing or yielding in an argument or confrontation.

    1. His back down was a surprise to everyone. [ ] [ ]
    2. The negotiator skillfully orchestrated a back down from both sides to reach an agreement. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "back down" in English means: To admit that you are wrong or that you will not do something that you were planning to do because people do not agree with you., To withdraw or retreat from a position or commitment..

The phonetic transcription of "back down" is /ˌbæk ˈdaʊn/ in British English and /ˌbæk ˈdaʊn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "back down": yield, retreat, capitulate, withdraw, concede.

Example usage of "back down": "He had to back down when faced with the evidence.". More examples on the page.