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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Recent Examples of taking back
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
An opposition party taking back control of the government would likely see the abandonment of a warming of relations with Israel and the West more broadly.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
San Francisco has won five of its last seven games overall, taking back-to-back series for the first time under rookie manager Tony Vitello.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
The clock is ticking on November’s midterm elections, and Democrats’ chances of taking back the Senate are improving.
—
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
The funds were reportedly credited to the account and later withdrawn; however, the bank reversed the transaction after determining the check was fraudulent, taking back the museum’s money.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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
An opposition party taking back control of the government would likely see the abandonment of a warming of relations with Israel and the West more broadly.
—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
San Francisco has won five of its last seven games overall, taking back-to-back series for the first time under rookie manager Tony Vitello.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
The clock is ticking on November’s midterm elections, and Democrats’ chances of taking back the Senate are improving.
—
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
The funds were reportedly credited to the account and later withdrawn; however, the bank reversed the transaction after determining the check was fraudulent, taking back the museum’s money.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking back
Verb
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While conventional wisdom had long been that consumers should build up a certain level of savings — six months' worth of living expenses, for example — those who study the accounts now consider saving to be a dynamic process of paying in, withdrawing, and then replenishing.
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The military held a similar security strip from 1985 until 2000, before withdrawing after years of steady casualties, a toll that is accumulating once again.
Verb
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a recall notice that the seat belts in certain Expedition and Lincoln vehicles may inadvertently lock, preventing the belt from retracting or extending.
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The Salton Sea has been retracting as the climate has become hotter, leaving behind pesticides and fertilizers in toxic dust from the multibillion-dollar local agricultural industry that blow through our communities, contributing to the asthma crisis facing our children.
Verb
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Corbett, of Palatine, announced his independent candidacy days after renouncing the current state of the Republican Party and dropping his consulting business work with GOP contenders.
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The program calls for the recognition of Israel and renouncing armed struggle, effectively sidelining Hamas and other factions.
Verb
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Council members narrowly passed the ordinance repealing the ban by a 7-5 vote, with some voting against the measure as a form of protest.
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And yet, Mamdani found time to talk about the Knicks’ playoff run, including repealing bedtime so children could watch the NBA Finals.
Verb
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University of California Health is denying reports that human bodies donated for research and education at UC San Diego in La Jolla were sold to the Navy and the Israel Defense Forces for military medical training.
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And no one is denying the tensions between certain governments.
Verb
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This swift pivot to AI is ironic, given its significant energy and water consumption, directly contradicting climate goals.
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But his head coach, Mitch Johnson, had a contradicting statement about the situation.
Cite this Entry
“Taking back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20back. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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