as in to backtrack
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Recent Examples of backpedal
The Trump administration, which has favored the oil and gas industry, has backpedaled on prior programs supporting the proliferation of EVs, dismantling programs that kicked in during the Biden administration, which had encouraged environmentally cleaner cars and trucks.
—
Yuri Kageyama, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Arrington struggled against the Seahawks’ length at receiver, so Bill Belichick replaced him with Logan Ryan, who ceded too much cushion before backpedaling into the end zone and allowing an easy Chris Matthews touchdown catch to tie the game, 14-14, with two seconds left in the first half.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Many will dismiss Trump’s moves, even the DHS investigation, as backpedaling to shore up poll numbers.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
Quarterback Bo Nix, in a sight much too frequent in the 19-3 win, was left to backpedal for his life and loft a duck of an incompletion.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Yuri Kageyama, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Arrington struggled against the Seahawks’ length at receiver, so Bill Belichick replaced him with Logan Ryan, who ceded too much cushion before backpedaling into the end zone and allowing an easy Chris Matthews touchdown catch to tie the game, 14-14, with two seconds left in the first half.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Many will dismiss Trump’s moves, even the DHS investigation, as backpedaling to shore up poll numbers.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
Quarterback Bo Nix, in a sight much too frequent in the 19-3 win, was left to backpedal for his life and loft a duck of an incompletion.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for backpedal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for backpedal
Verb
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Early in the ongoing war, Pezeshkian apologized to the Gulf countries for attacking them with ballistic missiles and drones, only to quickly backtrack when the Guards communicated a different message.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
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Users recoiled immediately, forcing OpenAI to backtrack and restore the old models.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those words probably should have been retracted.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
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Amnesty said Mohammadi denied the charges and retracted his confessions in court, saying they were extracted under torture.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Art by tenants past and present covers the hallway walls, and the staff will recant the building’s ghost stories without demur.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Mar. 2026
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Police said initially there was a report of shots fired, but a minor recanted that statement to officers.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backpedal. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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