backpedal
verb
back·ped·al
ˈbak-ˌpe-dᵊl 
backpedaled; backpedaling; backpedals
: to retreat or move backward
Examples of backpedal in a Sentence
The outfielder backpedaled a few steps to catch the fly ball.
Recent Examples on the Web
Put another way: Some of the Eastern Conference powers have backpedaled, creating a wide-open battle for the two wild-card spots.
—
Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
After his arrest, the county backpedaled on hiring Osceola.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025
Image Trump aides backpedaled on his Gaza plan President Trump’s surprise proposal that the U.S. take over Gaza, driving nearly two million Palestinians out, shocked even senior officials at his own White House.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2025
Russia will have to backpedal on its adversarial and hostile stance toward the U.S., and Putin’s apparently good relations with Trump could also make that far easier.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
After his arrest, the county backpedaled on hiring Osceola.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025
Image Trump aides backpedaled on his Gaza plan President Trump’s surprise proposal that the U.S. take over Gaza, driving nearly two million Palestinians out, shocked even senior officials at his own White House.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2025
Russia will have to backpedal on its adversarial and hostile stance toward the U.S., and Putin’s apparently good relations with Trump could also make that far easier.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Articles Related to backpedal
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpedal. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share