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
Their defense was much better with Melton, which led to transition opportunities against backpedaling defenses.
—
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
However, Democrats slowly backpedaled in their support for trans inclusion as the year went on.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2024
Robert Anderson backpedaled on his earlier, abolitionist beliefs and came out in support for lynching—unsurprising, considering his books sold well in the South, especially among wealthy white readers.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 11 Dec. 2024
However, amid a harsh backlash, the IRS eventually backpedaled.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backpedal 
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Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
However, Democrats slowly backpedaled in their support for trans inclusion as the year went on.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2024
Robert Anderson backpedaled on his earlier, abolitionist beliefs and came out in support for lynching—unsurprising, considering his books sold well in the South, especially among wealthy white readers.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 11 Dec. 2024
However, amid a harsh backlash, the IRS eventually backpedaled.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for backpedal
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Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpedal. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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