backtrack
verb
back·track
ˈbak-ˌtrak 
backtracked; backtracking; backtracks
1
a
: to retrace one's course
b
: to go back to an earlier point in a sequence
2
: to reverse a position
Examples of backtrack in a Sentence
The hikers realized they had made a wrong turn and would have to backtrack.
Let me backtrack for a moment and pick up our previous conversation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Georgia lawmakers backtracked on redistricting plans.
—
David Hickey, NBC news, 18 June 2026
The move comes just two years after California became the first to eliminate the wealth test before backtracking earlier this year due to budget pressures.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026
His reframed answer reads less like backtracking than calibration because symbolism and stewardship are inseparable at this scale.
—Rita Omokha, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
The backlash was so extensive, Gutierrez ended up backtracking on the lucrative gig entirely, in one of the clearest signs yet that AI has become toxic sludge to much of the audience Amazon is trying to woo.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for backtrack
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David Hickey, NBC news, 18 June 2026
The move comes just two years after California became the first to eliminate the wealth test before backtracking earlier this year due to budget pressures.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026
His reframed answer reads less like backtracking than calibration because symbolism and stewardship are inseparable at this scale.
—Rita Omokha, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
The backlash was so extensive, Gutierrez ended up backtracking on the lucrative gig entirely, in one of the clearest signs yet that AI has become toxic sludge to much of the audience Amazon is trying to woo.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for backtrack
Cite this Entry
“Backtrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backtrack. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
backtrack
verb
back·track
ˈbak-ˌtrak
1
: to go back over a course or path
2
: to reverse a position or stand
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