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back off vs back out

Both phrases are correct, but they have different meanings and usage. 'Back off' means to move away or retreat, often used in a confrontational or threatening situation. 'Back out' means to withdraw from a commitment or agreement. They are not interchangeable as they convey different actions.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 923 views

back off

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

It means to move away or retreat, especially in a confrontational or threatening situation. It can also imply stopping an action or behavior.

Examples:

The dog growled at me, so I had to back off slowly.
She told him to back off and give her some space.
The police asked the crowd to back off from the crime scene.
When he saw her angry expression, he decided to back off.
I had to back off from the argument to avoid escalating the situation.

Show examples from the web [+]

Laguerta told me to back off, leave it to the FBI.
Or convince Patrick to back off somehow.
Fate's telling us to back off.
See if we can't convince him to back off.
Since psychological complexity isn't your strong suit... back off.
Then fell right back off the radar.
Look... just back off a little.
I've got NTAC telling me to back off.
So please just back off and let me do my job like anyone else.
You two have to back off.
Pry the back off, get to the circuit board.
You should listen to your partner and back off from this.
That's why you got to back off the ricks case.
I told him back off. It's too psychotic.
Tell your man to back off or find another doctor.
Put those torches on the floor and back off.
Maybe you should just back off a bit.
The hair was blond, pushed back off the forehead.
She never told you to back off.
We need them to back off a case.

Alternatives:

step back
retreat
withdraw
recede
back away

back out

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

It means to withdraw from a commitment or agreement, often at the last minute. It implies not following through with a promise or plan.

Examples:

He promised to help, but he backed out at the last minute.
She decided to back out of the deal due to financial concerns.
Don't back out of your responsibilities; you need to follow through.
I can't believe he backed out of the project after all the planning we did.
She was supposed to come, but she backed out because of a family emergency.

Show examples from the web [+]

To climb back out again, that's the difficulty.
Even the vendors are back out.
So, I just took it right back out.
Put the APB back out on Jack, all agencies.
She might back out of our deal.
Instead of filing the report, we went back out there.
My advice is to back out now.
Most people spit them right back out.
For getting me back out here.
And she went back out to get it.
Bullet broke two ribs, came right back out.
You should get back out there, Pete.
Finally, we were ready to get back out there.
One of those guys'll back out.
Not everyone comes back out of the dark.
Maybe it's time to put yourself back out there.
dragging us back out here this weekend.
You can't back out once you've started.
Tyler has reached back out to his mother.
Tyler has reached back out to his mother.

Alternatives:

withdraw from
pull out of
renege on
retract
opt out of

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