backed down
Yielded under pressure
Backed down means to withdraw from a position or confrontation, usually under pressure.
Someone who backs down abandons a claim, threat, or challenge they previously made: He threatened to sue but backed down when he saw the evidence.
The phrase suggests retreat or capitulation, often with a hint of weakness or prudence depending on context.
- retreatedMoved backward from advance
- beat a retreatWithdraw from confrontation
- turned tailFled in fear
- acquiescedAgreed without protest
- submittedFormally gave for consideration
yielded · caved in · threw in the towel · surrender · succumbed · capitulated · cried uncle · withdraw · concede · reverse · de-escalate · backtrack · relented · retraction · folded · lost nerve · peer pressure · eat crow
- surrenderedsurrendered, capitulated, yielded, conceded, submitted
- calming downcalmed, relaxed, chilled, settled, mellowed
backed downstood one's ground
Refused to back down
persisted · persevered · dug in · doubled down · insisted
backed downescalated
Increased in severity
pushed back · fought back · stood up · confronted · advanced
backed downasserted oneself
Claimed one's ground
stood up · fought back · pushed back · confronted · defied
back, backed, backing, backs, backdown, down, downed, downing, downs