back out
Britishverb
-
Move or retreat backwards without turning; same as back away , def. 1.
-
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.
Local officials accused Horning of backing out of a plan to help fund an overhaul of the iconic gondola connecting Telluride and Mountain Village—a free 12-minute ride that stitches the two towns together.
Schneider said he is concerned that if L.A. backs out this time, the state would prioritize other jurisdictions for future funding.
From Los Angeles Times
She didn’t think I would ever really take her baby, or perhaps she thought she could back out of her side of the bargain.
From Literature
“Definitely a lot of hard work over the previous year. Rehab was a grind, but it’s good to be back out there.”
From Los Angeles Times
“We are hearing of frustrated passengers trying to contact the airlines to get any insight on rebooking, and even they were not aware of when fliers could get back out.”
From MarketWatch
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.
