back-pedal
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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He later tried to back-pedal, claiming he was misquoted, but the country's human rights body found his comments "hurtful and harmful".
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
Suárez found the side-netting with a shot; Ivan Rakitic headed over from Messi’s free-kick and Bravo had to back-pedal, leap and tip over his own crossbar, after he had only half-saved a shot from Suárez.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 19, 2016
Carrey isn’t the first actor to back-pedal on a project—but he’s still bringing something new into the mix.
From Time ● Jun. 25, 2013
After jokingly offering to marry Owens if she moved from Kentucky to Illinois, Lincoln tried to back-pedal when she appeared genuinely interested.
From Slate ● Nov. 17, 2012
A second later, he was standing on my toes, elbows jammed into my chest, as he tried to back-pedal into the closet-sized kitchen we'd just left.
From Little Brother by Doctorow, Cory
Conklin’s knee collapsed under him as he back-pedaled and he struggled just walking to the sideline before being carted to the locker room.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 29, 2021
He back-pedaled as Canelo pursued, sensing perhaps that the Russian was showing some signs of fatigue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2019
In the meantime, they have back-pedaled on some of the claims originally listed in the initial pitch.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 3, 2014
But as thousands of people in Ukraine worried about their exposures from the Chernobyl blast, Soviet medical officials back-pedaled on the FIB-4 doctors’ original findings.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2013
He hesitated, fist pulled back to throw the best punch he had left, and the new frogman back-pedaled.
From The Wailing Octopus by Goodwin, Harold L. (Harold Leland)
Making the goal better was the back-pedaling Marshall’s desperate dive in a forlorn bid to stop the ball from going in.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 12, 2021
Harvard's back-pedaling follows protests from high-profile figures in the U.S. intelligence community after Harvard made the initial announcement Wednesday.
From Time ● Sep. 15, 2017
The back-pedaling Villa nodded an expert header back across the goal and beyond Hamid’s reach.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2017
In others — many, many others — the back-pedaling by defenders doesn’t last nearly as long.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2017
Yet despite reviewers’ complaints about the nano’s missing playback buttons, it’s hard to imagine Apple back-pedaling.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2011
Hope hooked Mahmood, Carse misjudged, back-pedalled and stuck up a hand to produce a copy of Ben Stokes's famous grab at The Oval during the 2019 World Cup.
From BBC ● May 29, 2025
Ivana later back-pedalled on the statement, according to previous coverage by Salon, saying:
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2022
The government back-pedalled on the planned reopening this week for international tourism due to the threat of the Omicron variant.
From Reuters ● Dec. 2, 2021
Foden released Sterling and as the red shirts back-pedalled his effort needed a Fabinho block.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 2, 2020
He determined to keep his feet going as long as he safely could, and he back-pedalled gently to keep them in place.
From Harper's Round Table, October 22, 1895 by Various
"What he really should be doing is back-pedalling and apologising. 'I made those comments 21 years ago. I regret them,' ... whatever he wants to say."
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2023
Alexander-Arnold’s shot had power and accuracy but the back-pedalling keeper managed to tip over on the line and deny the defender one of the goals of the season.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 24, 2020
After centuries of perfecting the ritual of ‘civilized’ dining, there is a furious back-pedalling, a wilding, even among the chefs who employ the most cutting-edge techniques.
From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2013
A back-pedalling survivalist, he was a conscientious objector during a war plagued era.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 18, 2013
No sooner were we on up-grades than I exhausted myself by my vigorous back-pedalling.
From A Canterbury Pilgrimage by Pennell, Elizabeth Robins
