Back down means to give in: to drop a demand or position because you're under pressure or can't win the argument. People use it about quarrels, negotiations, conflicts with a boss or the authorities. A common form is refuse to back down, meaning to stand your ground.
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back down; back down on/over + decision/demand; refuse to back down
- My brother never backs down in an argument, even when he knows he's wrong.
- After hundreds of complaints, the council backed down on the new parking fees.
- The students refused to back down until the university changed the exam date.
What changed
First versionAfter the protests, the government backed down its decision to close the hospital.
RevisionAfter the protests, the government backed down on its decision to close the hospital.
Back down doesn't take a direct object: you don't back down a decision, you back down on it. Verbs with a similar meaning, such as reverse or drop, take a direct object, which makes it tempting to leave out the preposition. You need on or over: backed down on its decision.
Back out means to withdraw from something you've already promised or signed: He agreed to sell me his car, then backed out. Back down means to give in under pressure. Someone who backed out let others down; someone who backed down lost the argument.
Your turn
The manager said the deadline was final, but after the whole team complained, she ___ and gave us an extra week.
Show the answer
backed down — At first the manager stood her ground, then gave in under pressure from the team: backed down. Backed out would mean she broke a promise she'd made, but here she actually gave the team more time.
Describe an argument or negotiation in which someone gave in. Say who gave in and what made them do it.
My landlord wanted to raise the rent by twenty percent, but he backed down when I showed him the prices of similar flats nearby.
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