Phrase guide

buy back

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To purchase (something already sold, misplaced, destroyed, or given away).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Investors have already started buying back shares they had sold last year in an effort to increase their profits.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be used to purchase (something already sold, misplaced, destroyed, or given away).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The profits from the new software version bought back the division that'd earlier been sold off by the company.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

buy what had previously been sold, lost, or given away

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He bought back the house that his father sold years ago

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repurchase

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: buy, purchase

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 買回 /买回 (mǎihuí) — repurchase
  • Chinese Mandarin: 回購 /回购 (huígòu) — repurchase
  • Chinese Mandarin: 贖回 /赎回 (shúhuí) — repurchase
  • Chinese Mandarin: 返銷 /返销 (fǎnxiāo) — repurchase
  • Esperanto: reaĉeti — repurchase
  • Finnish: ostaa takaisin — repurchase
  • Latin: redimō — repurchase
  • Polish: odkupywać — repurchase
  • Polish: odkupić — repurchase
  • Russian: выкупа́ть (vykupátʹ) — repurchase
  • Russian: вы́купить (výkupitʹ) — repurchase