go back

verb

went back; gone back; going back; goes back

intransitive

1

: to return to a place, activity, or situation

I forgot my phone and had to go back.

I left school but later went back.

Once you do this, there's no going back. [=you cannot undo what has been done]

2

: to have existed for a particular amount of time or since a particular period

traditions that go back to ancient times

3

: to have known each other for a particular amount of time or for a long time

We go back 30 years.

They go way back.

4

: to think or talk about something from the past

To understand, you have to go back to when it started.

see also:

go back on

Examples of go back in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dondi watched her group of matchmakers ebb, with some volunteers going back to their lives. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

While details of the nonprofit have not yet been shared, the fundraiser stated that funds raised will go back to the city of Covington. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026

Wait for 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder before going back out. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 July 2026

The announcement that the comedian joined the couple together in matrimony was surprising, but Sandler and Swift go back several years. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for go back

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