English Reference
Idiom idiom

climb down

Meaning

An abandonment, withdrawal from, or softening of a previously expressed opinion, policy, argument, etc.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“The manager had to climb down after his mistake.”

CONTEXTUAL

“After the public criticized the new policy, the government was forced to climb down and change its plans.”

COMPLEX

“Despite his initial insistence that the project was flawless, the director eventually climbed down when the data proved him wrong.”

Anchors to
Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    climb the walls

    To behave in a distressed or frantic manner; to exhibit great agitation.

  2. 02

    go climb a tree

    Go away; a rude dismissal.

  3. 03

    have a mountain to climb

    To face a difficult task or challenge.

Last updated August 10, 2026