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
Sweden took back the lead in the fourth end of the mixed doubles curling final, scoring a point to pull ahead 3-2 in a close match.
—
Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
That was the Year Zero moment, the sudden rupture when the Lewis family took back control of the club.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
And only Shaheed took back both a kick and a punt for a TD.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When Tarasenko scored just 68 seconds into the middle frame, then Buffalo took back-to-back penalties, the Wild were in complete control and looking for a three-goal lead.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2026
Detroit took back-to-back penalties, but Ottawa failed to capitalize and gave up a short-handed goal on a Giroux giveaway that led to a 2-on-1 with Rasmussen beating Hunter Shepard, who gave up two goals on 12 shots.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
The Tuna King took back his crown during Monday’s buzzy pre-dawn sale, eclipsing his own record from 2019 by hundreds of thousands.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
That was the Year Zero moment, the sudden rupture when the Lewis family took back control of the club.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
And only Shaheed took back both a kick and a punt for a TD.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When Tarasenko scored just 68 seconds into the middle frame, then Buffalo took back-to-back penalties, the Wild were in complete control and looking for a three-goal lead.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2026
Detroit took back-to-back penalties, but Ottawa failed to capitalize and gave up a short-handed goal on a Giroux giveaway that led to a 2-on-1 with Rasmussen beating Hunter Shepard, who gave up two goals on 12 shots.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
The Tuna King took back his crown during Monday’s buzzy pre-dawn sale, eclipsing his own record from 2019 by hundreds of thousands.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took back
Verb
-
Warsama traces the issue back more than a decade, when discredited researcher Andrew Wakefield published his study — since retracted — claiming a link between autism and the MMR vaccine.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This too has also recently been redesigned, with a palette of greens and corals, as well as a sunroof that can be retracted on beautiful days.—
Matt Ortile,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
China has invested little in Russia’s economy, and nowhere near the amount that the West withdrew after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.—
Alan Cullison,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
-
After the candidates’ names were leaked to WBEZ/Sun-Times and Chalkbeat, the process effectively ground to a halt and one of them withdrew his name.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Born rich, yet sought a life of poverty Born into a merchant family in the Umbrian town of Assisi, in present-day Italy, around 1181, Francis famously renounced his family’s wealth.—
Vanessa Corcoran,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
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Through the request, Franyelis renounced her claim to seek asylum in the United States and asked Reingold to let her self-deport.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Board of Directors denied Buchanan's reappointment to a full five-year term last October.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Hubbard denied the students' accusations.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Every possible explanation that isn’t ruled out or contradicted by the already-existing data should be considered, and each hypothesis should be tested and examined as rigorously as possible.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
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In defense of California’s new map, the state’s attorneys told the court the GOP claims defied the public’s understanding of the mid-decade redistricting and contradicted the facts regarding the racial and ethnic makeup of the districts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mamdani repealed Adams’ executive order adopting the definition.—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Less than a month later, according to the New York Times, the administration stopped defending the rule in court, then repealed it altogether.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Took back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20back. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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