date back
phrase
: to have come into being (a number of years ago)
a custom that dates back 400 years
Examples of date back in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jefferson’s contradictions date back through much of American history; he was claimed by both sides of the Civil War and both sides of the civil rights movement.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
There is a Jefferson for every occasion Jefferson’s contradictions date back through much of American history; he was claimed by both sides of the Civil War and both sides of the civil rights movement.
—
Hillel Italie,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
The report, which was released on Monday, allegedly revealed racist, anti-Semitic, sexist and other disturbing texts that date back more than 10 years.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for date back
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.
ABC News,
30 June 2026
There is a Jefferson for every occasion Jefferson’s contradictions date back through much of American history; he was claimed by both sides of the Civil War and both sides of the civil rights movement.
—
Hillel Italie,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
The report, which was released on Monday, allegedly revealed racist, anti-Semitic, sexist and other disturbing texts that date back more than 10 years.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for date back
Cite this Entry
“Date back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/date%20back. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
