carryback

noun

car·​ry·​back ˈker-ē-ˌbak How to pronounce carryback (audio)
ˈka-rē-
: a loss sustained or a portion of a credit not used in a given period that may be deducted from taxable income of a prior period

Examples of carryback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If a business is claiming a net operating loss carryback, Form 7004 cannot be used to extend the return. Marni Rose McFall, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the net operating loss carryback, the 2020 CARES Act provides for a special five-year carryback for taxable years beginning in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Karlton Dennis, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022 For instance, refiner Phillips 66 boasted an effective income tax rate of just 2% for the first quarter -- well below the federal statutory income tax rate of 21% -- partly because of the carryback. Jennifer A Dlouhy, Bloomberg.com, 15 May 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carryback was in 1941

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carryback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carryback. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Legal Definition

carryback

noun
car·​ry·​back ˈkar-ē-ˌbak How to pronounce carryback (audio)
: the portion of an income tax deduction (as for a net operating loss) or credit which cannot be taken entirely in a given period and which may be deducted from taxable income of a prior period compare carryover
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster