Cry off Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Last-minute Withdrawal Used when backing out close to the event or promised time, often causing inconvenience. John promised to help me move, but cried off the night before. Pro Tip 2/3Unreliable Connotation 'Cry off' may suggest a habit of not following through with commitments; can imply unreliability. Don't count on Peter, he's likely to cry off. Pro Tip 3/3Casual Contexts More commonly used in casual, personal situations rather than formal or professional ones. We were going to jam tonight, but the drummer cried off.