Phrasal verb
back out of
Definition
phrasal verb. to decide not to do something you previously agreed to do.
phrasal verb. to withdraw from a commitment, agreement, or arrangement before it is completed; typically used when the withdrawal is seen as a failure to fulfill an obligation.
Examples
“He decided to back out of the deal at the last minute.”
“The company had to back out of the sponsorship agreement due to unexpected financial losses.”
“Although the treaty had been signed in principle, several nations threatened to back out of the climate accord unless specific carbon targets were renegotiated.”
Examples
simple
“He decided to back out of the deal at the last minute.”
contextual
“The company had to back out of the sponsorship agreement due to unexpected financial losses.”
complex
“Although the treaty had been signed in principle, several nations threatened to back out of the climate accord unless specific carbon targets were renegotiated.”
Usage
always followed by an object, usually a noun representing a plan, deal, or promise.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'withdraw' (more formal) and 'cancel' (more general); 'back out of' implies a physical or metaphorical retreat from a path already started.
Pitfall
She backed out the wedding.
She backed out of the wedding.
the preposition 'of' is mandatory to connect the phrasal verb to the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
back + out + of + object