to be forced to admit that something you said before was wrong.
She told me I'd never be able to give up smoking, but she had to eat her words.
(redirected from have to eat words)
have to eat (one's) words
To have to retract, regret, or feel foolish about what one has previously said. You think I can't get an A in this class, but you'll have to eat your words when we get our report cards!After my negative prediction for the season, I had to eat my words when the team started out undefeated.