bring back

verb

brought back; bringing back; brings back
1
: to come back with (something or someone)
What did you bring back (with you) from your vacation?
Bring your roommate back with you when you come home for the holidays.
You promised to bring me back a present.
2
: to cause (something or someone) to return or be returned
The death penalty was done away with in this area many years ago, but some people now want it to be brought back.
The movie is a fantasy about a man who is brought back (to life) from the dead.
The company is doing poorly, and its former president is being brought back to help solve its problems.
3
: to cause (something or someone) to return to a condition, subject, etc.
That question brings us back (again) to the fundamental problem of world peace.
We gradually brought the conversation back to the subject of his unpaid bills.
4
: to cause (something) to return to someone's memory
Seeing her again brought back a lot of happy memories.
I had almost forgotten about the time we spent together, but seeing her again brought it all back (to me).

Examples of bring back in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This brought back the trauma of surviving the tsunami and resulted in a performance that married a heavy storyline with Li's real-life experiences. Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026 So those have to be brought back carefully. CBS News, 4 May 2026 The second movie, which brought back the original director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, picks up as Hathaway’s Andy Sachs returns to Runway magazine as a features editor under Streep’s all-powerful editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 May 2026 Any hope that Liam Rosenior’s sacking 12 days ago would spark an upturn, especially after their FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United, have been brought back to reality. Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bring back

Cite this Entry

“Bring back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bring%20back. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster