backtrack

verb

back·​track ˈbak-ˌtrak 

backtracked; backtracking; backtracks

intransitive verb

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

Roy and crew had to deal with severe storms on their FSD run attempt, and een ask the car to backtrack to rescue a team member. —Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

The mayor rejected backtracking, testily suggesting the moves were political and that the council shared responsibility for the balky rollout of the fees. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

If the city were to ever backtrack, ownership of the property would go back to the association, which initially gifted the land to the city decades ago. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026

Other contestants like figure skater Johnny Weir, Love Island UK alum Maura Higgins, and Survivor star Natalie Anderson rushed to Underwood's defense as Rapaport attempted to backtrack. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for backtrack

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

Kids Definition

backtrack

verb

back·​track ˈbak-ˌtrak 

1

: to go back over a course or path

2

: to reverse a position or stand