English

Alternative forms

• back-pedal

Verb

backpedal ‎(third-person singular simple present backpedals, present participle (US) backpedaling or (UK) backpedalling, simple past and past participle (US) backpedaled or (UK) backpedalled)

1. (intransitive) To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
2. (intransitive) To step backwards.

   The player had to backpedal before catching the ball.

3. (intransitive, idiomatic) To distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement; back off from an idea.

   Though initially adopting a hard-line stance, the politician soon started to backpedal.

Synonyms

• (distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement): climb down

Translations