plow back

verb

plowed back; plowing back; plows back

transitive verb

: to reinvest (profits) in a business
plowback noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Bouton believed teams should be owned by the people, by the fans, with all profits plowed back into the ballpark and the team. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 31 May 2020 Then, several weeks ago, while America watched as unsold vegetables were plowed back into the soil and fretted over the earliest outbreaks among midwestern meatpackers, one flour manufacturer quietly saw its sales skyrocket 2,000 percent. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 12 May 2020 That money is plowed back into the city’s tree-planting fund. John D. Harden, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2020 That would give businesses or consumers more money to plow back into the economy. Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2019 But Pelosi would go much further, authorizing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and plowing back the savings to provide seniors with new dental, hearing and vision coverage. CBS News, 18 Dec. 2019 Any profit could be plowed back into the organization to be given to other companies. Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 20 Nov. 2019 Since 2000, Lin said, almost all corporate profits have been plowed back into the stock market, rewarding investors with buybacks and dividends. Michelle R. Smith, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2019 Over the past several years, the main driver was huge gains, often 20% or more, on profits plowed back into the business. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plow back.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plow back was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near plow back

Cite this Entry

“Plow back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plow%20back. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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