Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb back_off

2 senses of back off

Sense 1
back up, back off, back down -- (move backwards from a certain position; "The bully had to back down")
       => withdraw, retreat, pull away, draw back, recede, pull back, retire, move back -- (pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb")

Sense 2
chicken out, back off, pull out, back down, bow out -- (remove oneself from an obligation; "He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved")
       => retire, withdraw -- (lose interest; "he retired from life when his wife died")