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back out

to withdraw from a commitment

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (phrasal verb) to move backward out of a confined space

2. (phrasal verb) to fail to keep a promise or agreement; to withdraw from a commitment

Examples

• 1. She backed out of the driveway carefully.
• 2. He backed out of the deal at the last minute.

How to use back out

Back out has two distinct uses: the literal physical sense (moving a vehicle or oneself backward from a space) and the figurative sense of abandoning an obligation or agreement, often implying unreliability or poor timing. The figurative sense frequently carries mild disapproval. It is most commonly used with 'of' to specify what is being abandoned.

Common phrases

• back out of a deal
• back out of a commitment
• back out of the garage
• back out of a promise
• back out at the last minute

Synonyms

withdraw · renege · retreat · pull out · bow out

Opposites

commit · follow through

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'back out' with 'back off', which means to cease pressure or intimidation rather than to abandon a commitment.

Nearby in Phrasal Verbs

wind up, wrap up, zero in on, brush up on, chip in, come around

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained