TAKING BACK Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

taking back

verb

present participle of take back

as in withdrawing

to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) I take back what I said about her: she's not the fool I thought she was

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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.

Recent Examples of taking back Rhaenyra shows no affection whatsoever to her heir, Joffrey, and only shows signs of any warmth at all when speaking with Daemon about taking back Tumbleton from Lord Ormund and the Hightowers. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 A week after setting an all-time high in Nielsen’s streaming ratings, Love Island USA nearly matched it while taking back the top overall ranking for the third time this summer. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 Also not on the spring 2027 calendar is Giambattista Valli, who is taking back control of his house following an agreement to buy back full ownership from Artémis, the private investment arm of the billionaire Pinault family. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 July 2026 Democrats have said Kean's 7th congressional district is a top target to flip in their pursuit of taking back the majority. — Claudia Grisales, NPR, 30 June 2026 Trading him might be another option, though the market is likely to be thin and require taking back salary. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Getting a grip on immigration was a key promise of the Brexiters — their message of taking back control resonated. — ABC News, 21 June 2026 Adding scientists to the corps in the late 1960s, and deliberately recruiting women and Black astronauts in the 1970s, were widely hailed as steps the agency was taking back then towards diversity. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 10 June 2026 Democrats can win again by taking back the middle. — NBC news, 31 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking back

Verb

The road map involves Hamas gradually giving up its weapons while Israeli forces halt attacks and begin withdrawing from Gaza.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Dozens of additional settlers arrived, moving boulders into the road and throwing rocks at the security forces, who were seen firing sound grenades and spraying settlers with pepper spray before withdrawing.

— Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of withdrawing

Verb

Vivo and Oppo phones have relied on various gimmicks, like smaller gimbals and pop-out lenses, to improve camera performance, though not to the extent of a physically retracting gimbal.

— Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
The remote control has mixed reviews, with this seemingly retracting from its otherwise glowing reviews.

— Tantse Walter, Space.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of retracting

Verb

That starts with renouncing the use of military intervention as a first resort and ending the practice of diplomacy by airstrike.

— MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
In these photographs, the maternal body enters spaces designed around seduction, aspiration, and idealized femininity without renouncing any of them.

— Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of renouncing

Verb

Carr’s legal arguments The Carr FCC makes several arguments to support its claim that Congress didn’t intend to forbid the FCC from changing or repealing the cap.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026
The pathway to adoption resembles that of a sales tax, with the addition of repealing the 2017 statewide ban on taxing food and beverages.

— Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of repealing

Verb

But only states have the power to put these proposals into practice—and many state policy makers, concerned that the White House is contradicting existing research, aren’t keen to follow its guidance.

— Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
The hosts provided no evidence of political coordination, compensation from conservative groups or private statements contradicting Cunningham’s public position.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026