back-pedal
C1Informal, but also common in journalism, politics, and business commentary.
Definition
Meaning
To reverse or retreat from a previously stated opinion, promise, or course of action; to pedal backwards, especially on a bicycle.
To figuratively retreat or distance oneself from a commitment, position, or statement, often due to criticism or new information.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly implies a negative judgment of inconsistency, weakness, or hypocrisy. Often used to describe politicians, companies, or public figures changing their stance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: Often hyphenated (back-pedal) in UK dictionaries; more commonly written as one word (backpedal) in US usage. The meaning is identical.
Connotations
In both varieties, the connotation is negative, suggesting evasion or a lack of conviction.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in US political and media discourse, but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] back-pedals[Subject] back-pedals on [issue/statement][Subject] back-pedals furiously after [criticism/revelation]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Do a U-turn”
- “Climb down”
- “Beat a retreat”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The CEO had to back-pedal on the aggressive merger announcement after shareholder backlash."
Academic
Used in political science and media studies to analyse rhetorical shifts.
Everyday
"He promised to help, but he's started back-pedalling now he realises how much work is involved."
Technical
Literally refers to the action of pedalling backwards on a bicycle with a coaster brake or fixed gear.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minister is back-pedalling on her tax reform proposal.
- He back-pedalled furiously when confronted with his earlier comments.
American English
- The senator backpedaled on his pledge to cut spending.
- After the controversy, the company backpedaled and issued an apology.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A. The participial adjective 'back-pedalling' is used: 'a back-pedalling politician'.
American English
- N/A. The participial adjective 'backpedaling' is used: 'a backpedaling executive'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I learned how to back-pedal on my new bicycle.
- He said he would come, but now he is back-pedalling.
- The government has been accused of back-pedalling on its environmental commitments.
- Facing a media storm, the spokesperson executed a rapid and unconvincing back-pedal on the company's initial statement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a politician on a bicycle, pedalling backwards furiously while trying to get away from their own campaign promises written on the road behind them.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMITMENT IS MOVING FORWARD; RETREATING FROM COMMITMENT IS MOVING BACKWARDS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with "отступать", which is more general (retreat militarily).
- Do not confuse with "отказываться" (refuse) or "менять мнение" (change mind), which lack the connotation of reversing a public stance.
- The closest conceptual equivalent is often "отказаться от своих слов" or "дать задний ход" (colloquial).
Common Mistakes
- Using it for a simple change of mind without a prior firm commitment. (Incorrect: 'I back-pedalled and chose the salad instead of the soup.')
- Spelling as 'backpeddle' (with double 'd').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'back-pedal' most appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is informal and often journalistic. In formal writing, synonyms like 'retract', 'recede from', or 'reverse a position' might be preferred.
Very rarely. It almost always implies criticism for being inconsistent or weak-willed. A positive spin might use 'reconsider' or 'adapt'.
They are very close synonyms. 'Back-pedal' often emphasises the speed or clumsiness of the reversal, while 'backtrack' can imply retracing steps more methodically.
Primarily, but it can refer to any course of action. The core idea is reversing a previously adopted direction or stance.