as in to backtrack
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Recent Examples of backpedal
Instead, Peterson backpedaled to get back on defense and directed his teammates to pay attention to the Green Bay ball handler.
—
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Middle linebackers being forced to backpedal or cover sideline to sideline rather than chugging downhill.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Instead, while backpedaling, Sabalenka put the ball into the net, giving Anisimova a break chance.
—Howard Fendrich, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
One of the main ones will be that the world’s largest economy, the USA, is backpedaling away from green technology towards climate change denial.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Middle linebackers being forced to backpedal or cover sideline to sideline rather than chugging downhill.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025
Instead, while backpedaling, Sabalenka put the ball into the net, giving Anisimova a break chance.
—Howard Fendrich, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
One of the main ones will be that the world’s largest economy, the USA, is backpedaling away from green technology towards climate change denial.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backpedal
Verb
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However, the Trump administration has since backtracked.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Oct. 2025
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The Trump administration was forced to backtrack the president's previous claim that the Roosevelt-era wing of the historic building wouldn't be affected by the new construction.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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De Blasio responded with shock, demanding The Times retract the story.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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The Democrat has since faced calls from Republicans to drop out of the state attorney general race, though many Democrats and his corporate donors have not retracted their support.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Still, British Jews have every right to question their state’s extraordinary efforts to free someone who has called for violence against them and who has recanted only in the vaguest terms.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
30 Dec. 2025
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Why did Ted Maher recant his confession?—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backpedal. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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