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

Flat fees often run between $25 and $150, and dealer buyback markups are usually between 1% and 5% of the market value for your bullion. —Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 12 June 2026

No more data sharing, according to Bloomberg, as the smaller firm explores a buyback. —Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 June 2026

CEOs can benefit from a stock buyback because much of their compensation is tied to the value of the company’s shares. —Jarrell Dillard, Washington Post, 11 June 2026

Kroger offered buybacks to shareholders, lining the pockets of wealthy investors. —Ann Larson, Time, 11 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