Looking for synonyms for chicken out? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say chicken out.
- Back out
- Withdraw
- Pull out
- Bail out
- Lose nerve
- Get cold feet
- Bow out
- Shrink back
- Retreat
- Wimp out
- Recoil
- Flinch
- Avoid
- Duck out
- Opt out
- Shy away
- Waver
- Falter
- Hesitate
- Demur
Want to learn how to say chicken out professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Back Out
Back out is used when someone decides not to do something they had agreed to do.
Example: “The investor backed out of the deal at the last minute.”
2. Withdraw
Withdraw involves removing oneself from a situation, agreement, or commitment.
Example: “After considering the risks, the company decided to withdraw from the partnership.”
3. Pull Out
Pull out is used when someone decides not to continue with an activity or agreement.
Example: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to pull out of the contract negotiations.”
4. Bail Out
Bail out is often used colloquially to describe leaving a situation or abandoning a plan.
Example: “The sponsor bailed out of the event due to budget constraints.”
5. Lose Nerve
Lose nerve implies losing courage to do something at the last moment.
Example: “The team leader lost nerve and didn’t present the bold proposal to management.”
6. Get Cold Feet
Get cold feet is a colloquial expression for becoming nervous or hesitant to proceed with something.
Example: “The CEO got cold feet about the company merger after seeing the latest financial reports.”
7. Bow Out
Bow out means to gracefully exit from a situation, often to avoid embarrassment or difficulty.
Example: “The manager bowed out of the project after realizing it conflicted with her values.”
8. Shrink Back
Shrink back implies withdrawing from a situation due to fear or apprehension.
Example: “Faced with overwhelming criticism, the team shrank back from implementing the controversial policy.”
9. Retreat
Retreat involves pulling back or withdrawing, often from a challenging or difficult situation.
Example: “The company had to retreat from the overseas market due to intense competition.”
10. Wimp Out
Wimp out is a colloquial and somewhat derogatory term for failing to do something due to lack of courage.
Example: “The manager was accused of wimping out on making the tough decision during the crisis.”
11. Recoil
Recoil suggests a sudden withdrawal out of fear or disgust.
Example: “The marketing team recoiled at the idea of misleading advertising.”
12. Flinch
Flinch implies drawing back from something difficult or unpleasant.
Example: “The young entrepreneur didn’t flinch at the challenges of starting a new business.”
13. Avoid
Avoid means to keep away from or prevent something from happening.
Example: “The company avoided any controversial projects that could harm its reputation.”
14. Duck Out
Duck out is a casual expression for avoiding something, often by leaving quietly or surreptitiously.
Example: “He ducked out of the meeting to avoid answering difficult questions.”
15. Opt Out
Opt out means choosing not to participate in something.
Example: “Several employees opted out of the company’s new health insurance plan.”
16. Shy Away
Shy away involves avoiding something because of nervousness or fear.
Example: “The team didn’t shy away from the challenges of the high-stakes project.”
17. Waver
Waver suggests hesitating or being undecided about something.
Example: “The board wavered on the decision to expand into the European market.”
18. Falter
Falter implies losing strength or momentum, especially when facing obstacles.
Example: “Despite initial enthusiasm, the committee faltered in its efforts to implement the new policy.”
19. Hesitate
Hesitate means to pause or hold back in uncertainty.
Example: “The manager hesitated before endorsing the radical change in strategy.”
20. Demur
Demur involves showing reluctance or doubts about something.
Example: “The consultant demurred when asked to cut corners on the project’s quality standards.”
