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
Croatia took back possession to continue its offensive press but struggled to create goal-scoring opportunities.
—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Some of the companies hit hardest by selling Tuesday took back some of those losses before the market opened.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
One of those picks was off MVP Matt Stafford, by the way, which Jackson took back to the Panthers’ end zone.
—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
In April, Ukraine actually took back more land than Russia seized for the first time since 2024.
—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Four years earlier, Lawler, a former state assemblyman, was elected when Republicans took back control of the House.
—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Frost forwards Katy Knoll and Klára Hymlárová were moving toward the Sirens’ goal when both took back-to-back hits from New York players.
—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
11 Apr. 2026
On Thursday, the Supreme Court took back the case and set an accelerated schedule for the coming week, when prosecutors and defense attorneys can argue over whether to finish the analysis.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Republicans took back the state House, ending the Democratic trifecta in Michigan and opening a door to more cash-for-jobs deal scrutiny.
—
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Some of the companies hit hardest by selling Tuesday took back some of those losses before the market opened.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
One of those picks was off MVP Matt Stafford, by the way, which Jackson took back to the Panthers’ end zone.
—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
In April, Ukraine actually took back more land than Russia seized for the first time since 2024.
—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Four years earlier, Lawler, a former state assemblyman, was elected when Republicans took back control of the House.
—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Frost forwards Katy Knoll and Klára Hymlárová were moving toward the Sirens’ goal when both took back-to-back hits from New York players.
—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
11 Apr. 2026
On Thursday, the Supreme Court took back the case and set an accelerated schedule for the coming week, when prosecutors and defense attorneys can argue over whether to finish the analysis.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Republicans took back the state House, ending the Democratic trifecta in Michigan and opening a door to more cash-for-jobs deal scrutiny.
—
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took back
Verb
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As soon as the error was realized, the story was retracted and removed from NPR’s website and an on-air correction was broadcast.
-
The journal typically adds a large RETRACTED notice across digital papers that have been retracted, leaving them available for download.
Verb
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After starring in a slew of movies with each other, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen withdrew from the spotlight to focus on launching The Row, a luxury fashion brand, in 2005.
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Del Toro beat him at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes last month before Seixas later withdrew with injury — and UAE domestiques have made it onto the podium before, such as Adam Yates in 2024.
Verb
-
The 58-year-old construction tycoon renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017, Ukrainian media reported, and has been a citizen of Cyprus since 2019.
-
What follows are dozens of examples of how those whose names are familiar (or aren’t) and legendary (or infamous) for their actions while representing the state have been embraced (or renounced) by the rest of the country and beyond.
Verb
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Then multiple states filed lawsuits alleging the agency failed to conduct proper environmental reviews, which DHS denied.
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The band had been denied the opportunity to perform during Haiti’s pre-World Cup friendly against Peru, despite the presence of a Peruvian band.
Verb
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These emergency decisions have thrown lower courts’ processes into turmoil and have sometimes directly contradicted longstanding legal precedent.
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Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly, announced Monday that the official toll stood at 1,719 people killed and 5,000 injured, and warned the public against sharing information that contradicted authorities.
Verb
-
Most of those restrictions were repealed in 1985, but the weekend sale restriction for car dealerships remained in place.
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In 1971, weary of the war in Vietnam, Congress repealed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
Cite this Entry
“Took back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20back. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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