chickened out
Backed down fearfully
Chickened out means lost courage at a critical moment and backed away from a planned action.
The phrase implies cowardice or failure of nerve: I was going to ask her out, but I chickened out at the last second.
From the association of chickens with timidity.
- flinchedRecoiled involuntarily from threat
- balkedHesitated and refused
- cowardiceAbsence of bravery
- crawfishedWithdrew from a stance
- afraidExperiencing dread or worry
lost nerve · cold feet · took fright · withdrew · retreat · turned tail · ran scared · gutless · fear · bailed · recoiled · backing down · spineless · hesitated · wimped out · yellow-bellied · chickenhearted · backed out
- surrenderedsurrendered, capitulated, yielded, conceded, submitted
courage in action
chickened outtook the plunge
Made a bold decision
stepped up · bit the bullet · manned up · rose to the occasion · dared
commitment/follow-through
chickened outfollowed through
Completed what was started
went ahead · committed · persevered · pushed through · delivered