as in to backtrack
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Recent Examples of backpedal
Redondo-Rosales backpedaled as officers closed in to grab him and swung a hat in the direction of an officer’s face, according to the video.
—
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 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
By Monday, the Trump administration was backpedaling.
—John McCormack, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 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
James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 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
By Monday, the Trump administration was backpedaling.
—John McCormack, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 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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However, Melton appeared to backtrack just a bit.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
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When the agency seemed to backtrack, later proposing a purely functional bridge with no design flourishes as an option, city officials sued.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Lincoln’s version unfolds and retracts when the Navigator’s engine starts and stops.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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In a separate filing Tuesday, the SPLC moved to force Blanche to retract his statements, and said that ahead of the indictment, the SPLC provided details about informant work to the Justice Department in two separate meetings with federal law enforcement earlier this year.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hitchcock recanted during his trial and blamed his brother instead.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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Hitchcock later recanted his confession and said his brother killed Cindy, but he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Backpedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/backpedal. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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