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
One day after lawyers for American Airlines argued a 9-year-old child acted negligently when she was recorded by a hidden camera in an airplane lavatory, the airline is backpedaling that defense.
—
Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 22 May 2024
To be sure, some firms have backpedaled on plans to expand in the city.
—Alexandre Rajbhandari, Fortune Europe, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for backpedal 
Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 22 May 2024
To be sure, some firms have backpedaled on plans to expand in the city.
—Alexandre Rajbhandari, Fortune Europe, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for backpedal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backpedal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to backpedal
Dictionary Entries Near backpedal
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpedal. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share