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

Sox players then made the long, slow walk back to the dugout while fireworks went off and the Guardians celebrated in the outfield. — Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

On every other day of the year, tens of thousands more who work in the neighborhood’s theaters and hotels, at the New York Times, Reuters, Olive Garden, or any of the other area’s many employers, walk back and forth in front of the 25-story tower. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026

As the outrage grew, the government walked back some increases and sent the energy minister before parliament in a show of accountability. — Tala Alrajjal, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026

People forgive a company that takes a beat to get it right far more than one that has to walk back its own words. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for walk back

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