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

Shortly after, however, the agency backtracked and said a test of the brand’s lettuce for the cyclospora parasite had returned a false positive. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

The industry, including the WGA and the DGA, balked, and the TV Academy had to backtrack. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 23 July 2026

Federal authorities seized more than 700 drones that flew over or near World Cup venues, often using high-tech jammers to backtrack to their pilots. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 21 July 2026

However, the carmaker backtracked on those plans earlier this year, canceling that trio of battery-electric models as part of a broader strategic pivot. — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for backtrack

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

Kids Definition

backtrack

verb

back·​track ˈbak-ˌtrak 

1

: to go back over a course or path

2

: to reverse a position or stand