climbdown

[klahym-doun]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Chiefly British.

a retreat from a policy, opinion, position in a debate, etc..
The government’s recent climbdown from its wage freeze policy is just another instance of the flip-flopping that infuriates voters.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of climbdown¹

First recorded in 1905–10; climb ( def. ) + down ¹ ( def. )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen ��ely described the U-turn as "the most humiliating climbdown a government has ever faced in its first year in office".

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In the years since that climbdown, Infantino appears to have been keen to cosy up to Trump.

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It's a deeply counterproductive approach, which has already forced Washington into one humiliating climbdown – cancelling a planned cultural tour by Vance's wife, Usha, to Nuuk and another town in the face of planned local protests.

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Despite the climbdown, Canada will still be facing Trump's 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports that have just come into effect.

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The latest move is the second climbdown in two days from Trump on his tariffs.

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climb climb-down

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