Phrase guide

take back

verb · 12 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

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  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To retract or withdraw (an earlier statement).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • No, you are not fat; I take it all back.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: recant, unsay, abjure, backpedal, disavow, disown, eat one's words, recall, retract, revoke, swallow, take back, unspeak, walk back, withcall, withdraw

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To cause (someone) to remember some past event or time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • That tune takes me back to my childhood.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To resume a relationship with (someone).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • She has forgiven him, and taken him back.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To regain possession of (something).

Physically so.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The wedding is off, and he has taken back the ring.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reclaim

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To regain possession of (something).

Culturally so.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The Queer community took back the word from their disparagers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reappropriate, reclaim

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To return (something) to a vendor for a refund.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Take back faulty goods to the shop where you bought them.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

cause someone to remember the past

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This photo takes me back to the good old days

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: remind

8

verb

Meaning 8

take back what one has said

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He swallowed his words

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swallow, unsay, withdraw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disown, renounce, repudiate

9

verb

Meaning 9

move text to the previous line; in printing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

10

verb

Meaning 10

bring back to the point of departure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: return, bring back

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bring, convey, take

11

verb

Meaning 11

regain possession of something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repossess

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: take

12

verb

Meaning 12

resume a relationship with someone after an interruption, as in a wife taking back her husband

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: relate

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

83 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: връщам (vrǎštam) — retract an earlier statement
  • Bulgarian: върна (vǎrna) — retract an earlier statement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 撤回 (chèhuí) — retract an earlier statement
  • Czech: vzít zpět — retract an earlier statement
  • Danish: tage tilbage — retract an earlier statement
  • Esperanto: retiri — retract an earlier statement
  • Finnish: perua sanansa — retract an earlier statement
  • French: retirer — retract an earlier statement
  • Hungarian: visszavon — retract an earlier statement
  • Malay: tarik balik — retract an earlier statement
  • Polish: cofać — retract an earlier statement
  • Polish: cofnąć — retract an earlier statement
  • Romanian: retrage — retract an earlier statement
  • Serbo-Croatian: povući — retract an earlier statement
  • Serbo-Croatian: opozvati — retract an earlier statement
  • Spanish: retirar — retract an earlier statement
  • Spanish: retractarse — retract an earlier statement
  • Spanish: desdecirse — retract an earlier statement
  • Swedish: ta tillbaka — retract an earlier statement
  • Swedish: ångra — retract an earlier statement
  • Bulgarian: връщам (vrǎštam) — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Bulgarian: върна (vǎrna) — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Danish: genkalde — cause to remember some past event or time
  • French: ramener — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Hungarian: visszavisz — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Portuguese: trazer de volta — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Russian: возвращать в (vozvraščatʹ v) — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Russian: к (k) — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Swedish: återkalla — cause to remember some past event or time
  • Danish: genoptage — to resume a relationship
  • Portuguese: aceitar de volta — to resume a relationship
  • Portuguese: reatar — to resume a relationship
  • Bulgarian: връщам (vrǎštam) — to regain possession of something
  • Bulgarian: върна (vǎrna) — to regain possession of something
  • Danish: tage tilbage — to regain possession of something
  • Esperanto: repreni — to regain possession of something
  • Finnish: ottaa takaisin — to regain possession of something
  • French: reprendre — to regain possession of something
  • French: récupérer — to regain possession of something
  • Ancient Greek: ἀναλαμβάνω (analambánō) — to regain possession of something
  • Haitian Creole: reprann — to regain possession of something
  • Hungarian: visszavesz — to regain possession of something
  • Korean: 되찾다 (doechatda) — to regain possession of something
  • Persian: پَس گِرِفتَن (pas gereftan) — to regain possession of something
  • Polish: odzyskiwać — to regain possession of something
  • Polish: odzyskać — to regain possession of something
  • Portuguese: pegar de volta — to regain possession of something
  • Swedish: ta tillbaka — to regain possession of something
  • Swedish: återta — to regain possession of something
  • Vietnamese: lấy lại — to regain possession of something
  • Armenian: վերադարձնել (veradarjnel) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Bulgarian: връщам (vrǎštam) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Bulgarian: върна (vǎrna) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Chinese Mandarin: 退貨 /退货 (tuìhuò) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Danish: reklamere — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Danish: returnere — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Dutch: terugbrengen — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Finnish: palauttaa — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • French: remporter — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • French: retourner — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • French: rapporter — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Hungarian: visszavisz — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Japanese: 戻す (modosu) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Japanese: 返す (kaesu) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Latin: redhibeō — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Latin: reddo — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Persian: برگشتن (bargaštan) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Persian: بازگشتن (bâzgaštan) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Polish: zwracać — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Polish: zwrócić — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Portuguese: levar de volta — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Portuguese: devolver — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Portuguese: retornar — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Russian: возвраща́ть (vozvraščátʹ) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Russian: возврати́ть (vozvratítʹ) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Russian: верну́ть (vernútʹ) — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Slovene: vrniti — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Spanish: devolver — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Spanish: retrovender — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Swedish: reklamera — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Swedish: returnera — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Swedish: återlämna — to return something to a vendor for a refund
  • Vietnamese: trả lại — to return something to a vendor for a refund