What does chickening mean?
"Chickening" is the gerund or verbal noun formed from the informal phrasal verb "chicken out," which means to withdraw from a task, commitment, or confrontation because of fear or a sudden loss of courage. When someone speaks of another person's "chickening out," they are naming the act itself: the moment of retreat, whether from a dare, a difficult conversation, or a long-promised adventure. The word carries an unmistakably negative, teasing connotation — it implies cowardice rather than prudence — and it belongs firmly to informal registers such as everyday speech, journalism with a light touch, and casual writing; it would be unusual in formal or academic prose. The underlying image comes from the chicken's reputation as a timid animal, a stereotype embedded in English since the phrasal verb arose in twentieth-century American usage. Related expressions include "backing out," "bailing," and "losing one's nerve." Though compact, the word vividly captures a very human moment: the point at which resolve gives way to reluctance.
nounThe act of withdrawing from something out of fear or loss of nerve; the gerund form of the informal phrasal verb 'chicken out'.
- The act of withdrawing from a commitment or challenge out of fear or cowardice (gerund of 'chicken out').
"At the last minute, her chickening out left the team without a speaker."
"Everyone noticed his chickening out just before the deadline."
"Repeated chickening out cost him the respect of his colleagues."
English lets you turn a barnyard bird into a verb for cowardice — and 'chickening out' is so idiomatic that its gerund works as a noun all on its own.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chickening
The word derives from "chicken," the Middle English name (from Old English "cicen") for the young domestic fowl, combined with the adverbial particle "out." The phrasal verb "chicken out," meaning to withdraw in fear, emerged in American English in the twentieth century, building on the longstanding use of "chicken" as a byword for cowardice. As the -ing form of this verb, "chickening" functions as a gerund and inherits the same informal register.
How chickening is actually used
Strictly informal and conversational; derived from the phrasal verb 'chicken out'. The bare gerund used as a noun is less common than the full phrase, but appears naturally in speech and casual writing. Carries a mildly derogatory connotation implying cowardice.
Easily confused with chickening
'Thickening' means becoming denser or more viscous, while 'chickening' refers to losing one's nerve and backing out.