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
Amid the purge, the Trump administration laid off more than 300 probationary NNSA employees, only to backpedal and bring almost all of them back days later.
—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 3 May 2025
As in other areas of this administration’s first 100 days, the execution of tariff policy has been chaotic and poorly thought through, leading to conflicting messaging and backpedaling.
—The Editors, National Review, 1 May 2025
With his fourth corner 3-pointer in as many tries — three of them launched in front of OKC’s meddling sideline — Watson spun around and trash-talked his irritants, gleefully backpedaling to the end of the floor that he’s actually meant to dominate.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2025
The State Department's backpedaling with the issuance of a humanitarian aid waiver has still led to disruptions for PEPFAR, with many health clinics in southern Africa remaining closed amid the confusion, the New York Times reported.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
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Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 3 May 2025
As in other areas of this administration’s first 100 days, the execution of tariff policy has been chaotic and poorly thought through, leading to conflicting messaging and backpedaling.
—The Editors, National Review, 1 May 2025
With his fourth corner 3-pointer in as many tries — three of them launched in front of OKC’s meddling sideline — Watson spun around and trash-talked his irritants, gleefully backpedaling to the end of the floor that he’s actually meant to dominate.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2025
The State Department's backpedaling with the issuance of a humanitarian aid waiver has still led to disruptions for PEPFAR, with many health clinics in southern Africa remaining closed amid the confusion, the New York Times reported.
—Ivana Saric, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backpedal. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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