back out

decide not to do something you promised or agreed to do

B2

What does "back out" mean?

To back out means to withdraw from something you previously agreed to — a deal, a plan, a promise, or any kind of commitment. It implies that you had already said yes, and then changed your mind or decided not to go ahead. The phrase often carries a slightly negative tone, suggesting the person has let others down or acted unreliably. It is a neutral expression that works naturally in everyday conversation as well as in professional and journalistic contexts. Crucially, you can only back out of something you had already committed to — if you never agreed to something in the first place, this phrase doesn't apply.

Examples

How to use it

back out of + noun phrase

The most common structure — use 'of' followed by the commitment or agreement being withdrawn from.

The company backed out of the contract just days before it was due to be signed.

back out (without 'of' phrase)

The 'of' phrase can be dropped when the commitment is already clear from context, especially in spoken English.

We had everything arranged, and then she backed out.

back out + adverbial

Adverbs like 'at the last minute', 'suddenly', or 'without warning' are frequently used to emphasise when or how the withdrawal happened.

He backed out at the last minute, which left the whole team in a difficult position.

if + subject + back out (of + noun phrase)

Conditional structures are natural when discussing the consequences of withdrawing from a commitment.

If they back out of the agreement now, we'll have to find a new supplier very quickly.

back out of + verb-ing

When the commitment involves doing something, 'of' can be followed by a gerund (verb + -ing).

She backed out of hosting the event after realising how much work it involved.

Common Collocations

back out of a dealback out of an agreementback out of a contractback out of a promiseback out at the last minuteback out of a plan

Common Mistakes

Missing 'of' before the noun phrase

Learners sometimes drop the preposition 'of' when a specific commitment is named, but 'of' is required in this case. It can only be omitted when the commitment is already clear from context.

✗ He backed out the deal at the last minute.
✓ He backed out of the deal at the last minute.
Adding a direct object after 'out'

'Back out' is intransitive and never takes a direct object directly after 'out'. The commitment being withdrawn from must always follow 'of', not 'out'.

✗ They backed out the contract.
✓ They backed out of the contract.
Confusing 'back out' with 'back down'

'Back out' means withdrawing from a commitment such as a deal or promise; 'back down' means retreating from a confrontation or argument. These are not interchangeable.

✗ She backed down of the agreement after the meeting.
✓ She backed out of the agreement after the meeting.

Usage

Back out is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English. It often carries a slightly negative tone, suggesting someone has let others down by breaking a commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'back out' always sound negative?

It often carries a mildly negative tone, because it implies someone has broken a prior commitment and possibly let others down. That said, the negativity depends on context — sometimes backing out of something is presented as a sensible or even admirable decision, and the phrase itself doesn't pass strong moral judgement.

Can 'back out' be used in the passive, like 'the deal was backed out of'?

No — 'back out' is intransitive, which means it cannot be used in the passive. To express a similar idea passively, you would need a different construction, such as 'the deal fell through' or 'the agreement was withdrawn from'.

Does 'back out' have another meaning?

Yes — in a very different, literal context, 'back out' can mean to reverse a vehicle out of a space, as in 'she backed out of the driveway'. This meaning is always clear from context because it involves cars or physical spaces. This page focuses only on the figurative meaning of withdrawing from a commitment.

What kinds of things can you 'back out of'?

The noun phrase after 'of' is usually a commitment of some kind — a deal, contract, agreement, promise, plan, arrangement, project, partnership, or negotiation. What these all have in common is that someone had already agreed to them. You wouldn't normally use 'back out of' for something you were only vaguely considering.

Is 'back out' the same as 'pull out'?

'Pull out' and 'back out' are close in meaning, but there is a subtle difference. 'Pull out' often describes a larger-scale or more deliberate withdrawal — for example, withdrawing from a market or a major project. 'Back out' more specifically suggests breaking a prior commitment, and can imply a sense of unreliability or leaving others in the lurch.

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