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
When Syria’s then-President Bashar al-Assad launched rockets with chemical gas and killed hundreds of civilians anyway, Obama backpedaled and ultimately chose not to invade, a move critics say allowed the civil war to spiral further while extremist groups took advantage by recruiting locals.
—
Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 15 Jan. 2025
For its part, the NCPA has been backpedaling of late.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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
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Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 15 Jan. 2025
For its part, the NCPA has been backpedaling of late.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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
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 24 Jan. 2025.
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