back off
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deborah famously tried to muzzle Ava a few times, only to back off when she realized that by hurting her protégé, she was wounding herself.
From Salon • May 29, 2026
“Sometimes you just need to show up and talk to the community, to get them to back off, leave it alone.”
From Slate • May 27, 2026
When the calendar flipped to 2025, Korda’s killer instinct shut back off.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
To back off from that charge, district officials proposed raising average class sizes in kindergarten through fourth grade from 24-to-1 to 28-to-1, according to the district.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
He turned it back off, and then used the flashlight on his phone instead.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
