[{"word":"backpedal","phonetic":"/ˈbækˌpɛdəɫ/","phonetics":[{"text":"/ˈbækˌpɛdəɫ/","audio":"https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/media/pronunciations/en/backpedal-au.mp3","sourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75924195","license":{"name":"BY-SA 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0"}},{"text":"/ˈbækˌpɛdəɫ/","audio":"https://api.dictionaryapi.dev/media/pronunciations/en/backpedal-us.mp3","sourceUrl":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=361732"}],"meanings":[{"partOfSpeech":"verb","definitions":[{"definition":"To pedal backwards on a bicycle.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"To step backwards.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[],"example":"The player had to backpedal before catching the ball."},{"definition":"To distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement; back off from an idea.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[],"example":"Though initially adopting a hard-line stance, the politician soon started to backpedal."}],"synonyms":["climb down"],"antonyms":[]}],"license":{"name":"CC BY-SA 3.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0"},"sourceUrls":["https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/backpedal"]}]