walk back

verb

walked back; walking back; walks back

transitive verb

US
: to retreat from or distance oneself from (a previously stated opinion or position)
… try not to say anything in the primary campaign that you might need to walk back in the general election.The Progressive Populist
… has tried to walk back his suggestion about Japan, in particular, claiming in recent days that he "never said" that the Asian nation should acquire nuclear weapons.Julian Hattem

Examples of walk back in a Sentence

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.
Already, the Trump administration has had to walk back major job cuts to departments, including scrambling to rehire hundreds of nuclear security workers as well as several Department of Agriculture workers who focus on the avian bird flu. Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025 Well, the artist formerly known as Kanye West is back on the app, and has walked back one of those thoughts. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 20 Feb. 2025 The driver exits the van and walks back to check on the woman, who is lying on the ground yelling for help and moving around slightly. Laura Barcella, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025 Enter the front house and walk back to find this den, where windows look into the rear courtyard and the second house. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for walk back

Word History

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of walk back was in 2000

Cite this Entry

“Walk back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walk%20back. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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