BusinessAugust 23, 2026

walkbacks

WAWK-baks

Definition

The act of withdrawing or retracting previously made promises, commitments, or agreements.

Etymology

The term is a modern American English compound formed from the verb 'walk back,' which gained popularity in political discourse during the 20th century to describe the act of reversing a stated position or decision.

In the news

A U.S. official used this term to describe Canada's retraction of prior commitments, which he claimed destabilized trade negotiations and caused the collapse of the deal.

U.S., Canada fail to reach trade deal

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Macau Business

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