walk back

walk back (third-person singular simple present walks back, present participle walking back, simple past and past participle walked back)

1. Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see walk,‎ back.
2. (transitive) To withdraw or back-pedal on a statement or promise; retract.
   • 2010, Greg Sargent, The Plumb Line:

     Did Obama walk back his support of Cordoba House? As you know, the Internets are alive with the claim that Obama has now walked back his support of Cordoba House, and I've gotten tons of emails telling me that my earlier praise of the speech is no longer operative. But did he really walk back what he said last night?

• (retract): unsay, unspeak, take back

• walkback