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

Musk later walked back some of his comments. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026

Now, it’s housed in downtown San Diego at the Embarcadero, where visitors can walk back in time through naval history and learn more about the Midway’s vital role in conflicts like the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026

Continue reading … BACKTRACKING – Growing list of celebrities walk back on Brigitte Bardot tributes. —FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025

Chappell Roan walked back her tribute to Brigitte Bardot. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for walk back

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