Definition

A situation where someone changes their mind or position, usually after pressure or criticism, and admits they were wrong.

Example

After much debate, the politician made a climbdown on his previous stance regarding the new law.

Conversation

Did you hear about the big climbdown from the company on their new policy?

Yeah, I read about that. It surprised me!

I thought they were pretty set on it, but I guess public opinion matters.

Absolutely! It’s interesting to see how they handle criticism.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Climbdown → It is formed from "climb" (from Old English "climban", meaning to ascend or scale) and "down" (from Old English "dūn", meaning downwards or lower). The word "climbdown" refers to the act of descending after having climbed, often used metaphorically to describe a retreat from a previously held position.

Memory Tip

Think of the action of 'ascending' ('climb') and then going 'downwards' ('down') — that's how you remember that a climbdown means to descend after climbing.

Visually Confused Words