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
But Woolen jawed at the Rams bench while backpedaling with his hands behind his back after the play.
—
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left.
—Andrew Seligman, Twin Cities, 19 Jan. 2026
Quarterback Bo Nix, in a sight much too frequent in the 19-3 win, was left to backpedal for his life and loft a duck of an incompletion.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Concerns are mounting in foreign capitals over whether soldiers could be put in a position where they may be required to use force against Palestinians, with several countries backpedaling on troop offers.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Nov. 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.
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left.
—Andrew Seligman, Twin Cities, 19 Jan. 2026
Quarterback Bo Nix, in a sight much too frequent in the 19-3 win, was left to backpedal for his life and loft a duck of an incompletion.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Concerns are mounting in foreign capitals over whether soldiers could be put in a position where they may be required to use force against Palestinians, with several countries backpedaling on troop offers.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Nov. 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 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
