backing out
Abandoning a commitment
Backing out is withdrawing from a commitment, agreement, or plan after initially agreeing to it.
The phrase suggests retreat—like a car reversing from a driveway: She backed out of the deal at the last minute.
It often carries a whiff of disappointment or betrayal, since someone was counting on you to follow through.
- withdrawingRemoving or pulling away
- renegingFailing to keep commitments
- cold feetPre-event loss of confidence
- getting cold feetLosing nerve before commitment
- flakingShedding in layers
backpedal · second thoughts · changing your mind · reverse · retreat · revoking · abandoning · rescind · backtrack · break a promise · no-show · cancellation · welshing · ditching · extricate · driveway · escape · parking
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
- giving upgive up, giving up, quit, quitting, surrender
- letting downdisappointing, failing, betraying, abandoning, neglecting
- withdrawalwithdrawing, cash withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, early withdrawal, fund withdrawal
- betrayalbackstab, betray, betrayal, traitor, backstabber
- cancellationsflight cancellation, trip cancellation, contract cancellation, calling off, annulment
backing outfollowing through
Completing what was started
sticking with it · committing · fulfilling · delivering · making good
backing outpulling in
Reaching a destination
entering · going in · backing in · moving forward · diving in
backing outgoing all in
buying in · signing on · opting in · jumping in · diving in
back, out, backing, backed, backer, backs, backers, outback, back out