Meaning & use

take back

phrase·Everyday

To retract a statement, admitting it was wrong or unfair, or to accept the return of something previously given.

See it in a sentence

I take back what I said earlier; you were right all along.

The store agreed to take back the defective blender for a full refund.

A note on using this word

Take back also describes something that evokes nostalgia, as in 'this song takes me back,' meaning it recalls an earlier time.

Words with a similar meaning

retractwithdraw

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. phrase

To remind someone of an earlier, often pleasant, time in their life.

Hearing that old song really takes me back to my school days.

Make it your own

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