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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Example Sentences

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 Democrats won big in Tuesday’s midterms, not only taking back the House of Representatives and Senate by overwhelming margins, but rebuking Republican candidates down the entire ticket in deep-red states like Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2026 Republicans currently control the Senate but there are a number of toss-up races giving Democrats a path to taking back the chamber. — Rahul Mukherjee, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026 At the start of 2026, Democrats taking back the House and running competitively for the Senate across a daunting map might have been seen as a rousing recovery from the Party’s poor state two years ago. — Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 The county voted to remove BSO Fire Rescue from the sheriff and is considering taking back security for the airport and seaport, the jail and 911 center. — Norgan Rynor, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 The county voted to remove BSO Fire Rescue from the sheriff and is considering taking back security for the airport and seaport, the jail, and the 911 center. — Morgan Rynor, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 As well as taking back ownership of recruiting locally and in the West. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 But for Lee's government and many South Koreans who support the transition, taking back wartime OPCON represents greater military autonomy and a more equal alliance with the United States. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking back

Verb

The city would also be prohibited from withdrawing more than 50% of the amount of money in the fund unless the mayor certifies that there is a compelling fiscal need.

— Digital Producer, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Uganda is withdrawing troops deployed for years in Somalia under an African Union peacekeeping force that helped repel militants in the Horn of Africa nation, military authorities said on Monday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of withdrawing

Verb

With styling that’s part Art Deco, part Steampunk, and part contemporary elegance, the Supersport comes with the choice of either a removable composite-hardtop roof or a retracting mohair soft-top setup.

— Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of retracting

Verb

Rama attains liberation after renouncing the world, while Lakshmana’s violent actions lead him to hell before a spiritual ascent later.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Irma is not going to resolve her dilemma by having sex or cutting loose, nor by renouncing such pastimes and doubling down on intellect.

— B. D. McClay, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of renouncing

Verb

The questions ranged from eliminating political party primaries to reversing marijuana legalization to repealing a gun reform law in the state.

— Digital Producer, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Legislators could begin the process of repealing the lock box by initiating a new amendment, but that wouldn’t go before voters until 2028.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of repealing

Verb

His second confrontation is with an angry, judgmental version of Original Vision who accuses him of cowardice and inaction for denying his identity for so long.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
At least twice a year, my doctor would be on the phone yelling at an insurance company for denying coverage.

— Mariska Breland, STAT, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

The phone then stayed in the area for about an hour, contradicting Smith's testimony to police.

— News Editor, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
The contradicting geological and orbital observations for Phobos and Deimos collected to date have prevented scientists from definitively establishing one hypothesis over the other.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026