get back

verb

got back; got back or gotten back; getting back; gets back

intransitive verb

1

: to come or go again to a person, place, or condition : return, revert

getting back to the main topic of the lecture

2

: to gain revenge : retaliate

—usually used with at

transitive verb

: to regain possession of : recover

Synonyms of get back

• retrieve
• regain
• recapture
• recover

Examples of get back in a Sentence

the distraught owner cried that she would do anything to get back her lost dog

Recent Examples on the Web

But almost immediately, so, too, was the duo’s urge to get back to work. — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Despite this strange digression, Besson’s script soon gets back on track when Giu gets the results of his tests back and declares war on Father Joe. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2026

With a policeman in charge of the program, there’s no more off-the-field games being played — only hard work trying to get back to the top. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

The 12 points was all the Jones offense could muster, but the defense dispatched Evans on each of its attempts to get back in the game. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for get back

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

Kids Definition

get back

verb

1

: to return to a person, place, or condition

getting back to our first topic

2

: to get revenge

get back at him for the insult

3

: to regain possession of