back-pedal

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

To back-pedal is to press on the pedal when it is coming up instead of when it is going down.

From Ladies in the Field: Sketches of Sport by Beatrice Violet Graham Greville

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

I back-pedaled and whistled—a long, low, familiar howl greeted my ears and brought the tears to my eyes.

From My Home in the Field of Honor by Frances Wilson Huard

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

In others —  many, many others —  the back-pedaling by defenders doesn’t last nearly as long.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2017

When Boras’s comments — which are on tape — were read back to him, he began back-pedaling at Darrell Green-like speed.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 27, 2012

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

And by teatime on Thursday, No10 were back-pedalling.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

It’s another excellent over from Finn but from its most indifferent delivery comes … a wicket, du Plessis helping a half-tracker to the square leg boundary where a back-pedalling Hales takes the catch with ease.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 14, 2016

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

Meanwhile, the asks what possessed the PM to suddenly announce a new law which has caused such back-pedalling.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2012

It was a word of dread among cyclists until, say, the year 1900, when rim-and back-pedalling brakes superseded the inefficient spoon-brake, acting on the front tyre.

From The Brighton Road The Classic Highway to the South by Charles G. (Charles George) Harper