walk back

verb

walked back; walking back; walks back

transitive verb

US
: to retreat from or distance oneself from (a previously stated opinion or position)
… try not to say anything in the primary campaign that you might need to walk back in the general election.The Progressive Populist
… has tried to walk back his suggestion about Japan, in particular, claiming in recent days that he "never said" that the Asian nation should acquire nuclear weapons.Julian Hattem

Examples of walk back in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Rhodes celebrated with the crowd at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, while Gunther walked back up the entrance ramp in a huff. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026 But some of the fair's performers – Young MC and Morris Day and the Time – have walked back their involvement with the event. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 May 2026 While Singleton was walking back with the group in April, Barron came up — with no prior warning — and tapped him on the shoulder. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 May 2026 In a Thursday, May 28 Instagram post, the model, 61, walked back previous comments about the circumstances of her and fiancé Jeff Greenstein having to move out of her New York City apartment just days before their wedding in Italy. Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for walk back

Word History

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of walk back was in 2000

Cite this Entry

“Walk back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walk%20back. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

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