backtracking

About 0.36 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun The act of one who, or that which, backtracks; a retracing of one's steps.
2. noun The usage of a runway as a taxiway, especially at private strips and smaller airports.
3. noun The act of building all possible solutions to a problem incrementally, abandoning any candidate solution if it cannot lead to a valid solution.

   backtracking algorithm

4. verb present participle and gerund of backtrack

Similar words

turn back double back backsliding retrogression regress retraction retreat trace tracking decline

Often followed by

to and is on in algorithm from search through