[{"word":"backpedaling","phonetics":[],"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":[]},{"partOfSpeech":"noun","definitions":[{"definition":"The act of distancing oneself from a previously supported idea, action, behaviour, etc.; a U-turn or flip-flop.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]}],"synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]}],"license":{"name":"CC BY-SA 3.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0"},"sourceUrls":["https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/backpedal","https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/backpedaling"]}]