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.
Isaacs then backtracked his comments in the wake of backlash. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025 The data is clear, and the stakes are too high for managers and leaders to backtrack now. Farah Bala, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 Readers can backtrack to a specific choice and go in a different direction. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 Fuel prices tripled overnight, leading to confusion, anger, and mass protests that forced the government to backtrack. Aldo Flores-Quiroga, Forbes, 1 Mar. 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 19 Apr. 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
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