as in retracted
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 took back
Justin Herbert and company opened at 3-0, then took back-to-back Ls and narrowly escaped the floundering Miami Dolphins.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
In 2002, state officials took back $40 million for corridor planning in light of community fears that dedicated lanes would eat up space for travel and parking.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
But Utah's Republican supermajority Legislature, instead, took back redistricting power, largely nullifying the ballot initiative.
—Saige Miller, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Swayman shrugged off the softy and several key stops early in the third period when the B’s took back-to-back penalties.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
AllianceBernstein took back the asset in its unfinished state from developer Stockdale Capital Partners after a public auction that garnered no bids.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
New York’s Bobby Okereke scooped it up with a chance to take it before Mahomes crashed into him and took back the ball.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
In the final, in their 5th meeting of the season, Sewing took back control of their rivalry with a 12,6 win to take the title.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Lions took back the lead in the 50th minute with a second goal from Muriel.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
In 2002, state officials took back $40 million for corridor planning in light of community fears that dedicated lanes would eat up space for travel and parking.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
But Utah's Republican supermajority Legislature, instead, took back redistricting power, largely nullifying the ballot initiative.
—Saige Miller, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
Swayman shrugged off the softy and several key stops early in the third period when the B’s took back-to-back penalties.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
AllianceBernstein took back the asset in its unfinished state from developer Stockdale Capital Partners after a public auction that garnered no bids.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
New York’s Bobby Okereke scooped it up with a chance to take it before Mahomes crashed into him and took back the ball.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
In the final, in their 5th meeting of the season, Sewing took back control of their rivalry with a 12,6 win to take the title.
—Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Lions took back the lead in the 50th minute with a second goal from Muriel.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took back
Verb
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The Democrat has since faced calls from Republicans to drop out of the state attorney general race, though many Democrats and his corporate donors have not retracted their support.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Stefano Mele, husband of Barbara Locci, initially confessed to killing his wife and her lover but later retracted his statement.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After occupying Sinai, Britain and France succumbed to international pressure and withdrew their forces from Egypt in November.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics withdrew its guidance that said potential allergens should be avoided for high-risk babies, but didn’t have enough data to recommend introducing them early.—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Royalist émigrés began to trickle back into the country in 1795, and a number of Jacobins who renounced their earlier radicalism were also reintegrated into civil society.—
Time,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Takaichi has called for a hardline stance towards China and is also in favor of revising Japan’s pacifist constitution, especially Article 9, which renounced Japan’s right to wage war.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Supreme Court also previously denied an appeal filed by Davis in 2020.—
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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That defeat denied Indianapolis a playoff appearance and infuriated the man in charge of it all.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Intelligence reports and the 9/11 Commission later contradicted these claims.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The true-crime trappings offered a pointed tool for presenting evidence that contradicted the husbands’ oblivious assertions.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When Massachusetts voters repealed rent control in 1994, property values in Cambridge rose 45%—not only for the deregulated apartments, but for entire neighborhoods.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Democrats also tried to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, a Federal Communications Commission policy that had required broadcasters to cover various perspectives on controversial political issues before it was repealed earlier that year.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Took back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20back. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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