buyback

noun

buy·​back ˈbī-ˌbak 

: the act or an instance of buying something back

In Boston and other cities, gun buyback programs dramatically call attention to the profusion of firearms among the young …

—Diane Weathers

Talks of a potential buyback come as Volkswagen and federal regulators discuss ways to bring the more than half-million affected Volkswagen cars in the US up to current emissions standards.

—Bryan Logan

especially : the repurchase by a corporation of shares of its own common stock usually on the open market

Most corporate buybacks involve a repurchase by a company of part of its outstanding common stock at a fixed price, which is normally sufficiently higher than the market price to attract the desired number of shares.

—Leonard Sloane

This stock buyback boom, while obscure to much of the public, has become one of the most pervasive and divisive practices in corporate America.

—Michael Kranish

Examples of buyback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Under its new terms, the Italian club will pay Madrid €60million, and that €9m buyback option will be removed — as well as the 50 per cent sell-on clause. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 26 June 2026

Because dividends and share buybacks provide direct, tangible returns to investors. — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Expanding the buyback program signals management's strong confidence in the company's financial health, cash-generating capacity, and belief that IQVIA's stock is undervalued. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 24 June 2026

In January, the president issued an executive order seeking to curtail dividend payments and stock buybacks. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 23 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for buyback

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback
• dieback

Legal Definition

buyback

noun

buy·​back ˈbī-ˌbak 

: an act or instance of buying something back

especially : the repurchase by a corporation of shares of its own common stock on the open market