backtrack

verb

back·​track ˈbak-ˌtrak How to pronounce backtrack (audio)
backtracked; backtracking; backtracks

intransitive verb

1
a
: to retrace one's course
b
: to go back to an earlier point in a sequence
2
: to reverse a position

Examples of backtrack in a Sentence

The hikers realized they had made a wrong turn and would have to backtrack. Let me backtrack for a moment and pick up our previous conversation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The flight is not the only one to backtrack after takeoff in recent months. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025 The announcement came two weeks after Cracker Barrel backtracked on a separate plan to modernize and simplify its logo. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025 The point is taking the right risks and knowing how to backtrack. Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025 This month, Klarna backtracked on that claim – just as the company was preparing for its IPO. Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backtrack

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of backtrack was in 1870

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backtrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backtrack. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

backtrack

verb
back·​track ˈbak-ˌtrak How to pronounce backtrack (audio)
1
: to go back over a course or path
2
: to reverse a position or stand

More from Merriam-Webster on backtrack

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!