backtrack

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.

But the legal arguments in this letter were so weak that no one pursued them seriously, and the Department of Justice later had to backtrack the arguments in court.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

The new ambassador appeared to later backtrack, saying the US government respected the independence and findings of South Africa's judiciary.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Mandy Hill, president of the Publishers Association, said the backtrack was a victory "over the self-interest of a handful of large corporations".

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

“The President has this tendency to TACO,” he said, referring to Trump’s tendency to announce tough policies only to backtrack on those announcements later.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

We have to backtrack a little farther than we would like to find the accessway to the street, and I’m just happy the truck hasn’t run out of gas yet.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman