Phrasal verb
cry off
Definition
phrasal verb. to say you cannot do something you previously agreed to do.
phrasal verb. to withdraw from a commitment or engagement after having initially agreed to participate; typically used in social or informal contexts.
Examples
“He agreed to come but cried off at the last minute.”
“We were supposed to go hiking this weekend, but Sarah cried off because she felt ill.”
“The sponsors decided to cry off once they realized the project would not meet its original deadline.”
Examples
simple
“He agreed to come but cried off at the last minute.”
contextual
“We were supposed to go hiking this weekend, but Sarah cried off because she felt ill.”
complex
“The sponsors decided to cry off once they realized the project would not meet its original deadline.”
Usage
often used when someone cancels plans late or without a very strong reason.
Teaching tip
this is primarily British English; contrast it with 'back out', which sounds slightly more serious or formal regarding business contracts.
Pitfall
He cried off the meeting.
He cried off from the meeting.
when used with an object, the preposition 'from' is usually required, though it is often used without an object at all.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cry + off (+ from + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cry-off