# back off

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/back-off
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to move away from someone or to stop being aggressive or annoying. You use this when you want someone to give you space or stop bothering you.

For teachers: to retreat physically from a person or situation; figuratively, to cease an aggressive, intrusive, or critical course of action. The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

## Examples

- Please back off and let me finish my work.
- When the dog started growling, the children knew they should back off slowly to stay safe.
- The administration was forced to back off from its controversial tax proposal after facing significant backlash from both the public and members of its own party.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He backed off the car." but "He backed the car up." — the phrasal verb 'back off' is intransitive; use 'back up' when moving a vehicle or object backward.

## Usage notes

- often used as an imperative command to tell someone to stop being intrusive.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'withdraw' (more formal) or 'retreat' (often military); 'back off' is the standard choice for interpersonal boundaries and social friction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.