get off someone's back

verb

To cease pestering or criticizing someone; to leave someone alone.

Similar
get off someone's case
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Meanings

verbget off someone's back (third-person singular simple present gets off someone's back, present participle getting off someone's back, simple past got off someone's back, past participle (UK) got off someone's back or (US) gotten off someone's back)

present singular third person gets off someone's back · participle present getting off someone's back · past got off someone's back · UK participle past got off someone's back · US participle past gotten off someone's back

  1. ambitransitiveidiomaticinformalTo cease pestering or criticizing someone; to leave someone alone.

    Nothing gets an overly inquisitive auntie or an uncle with unpalatable political views off your back like a Boxing Day fixture.

    2016, Daniel Gray, Saturday, 3pm: 50 Eternal Delights of Modern Football

    Synonyms: get off someone's case

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo cease pestering or criticizing someone; to leave someone alone.

Similar
get off someone's case
Cite this entry
APA

get off someone's back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20someone's%20back

MLA

“get off someone's back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20someone's%20back. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get off someone's back,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20someone's%20back.

Source: get off someone's back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.