1.
to return something (to a shop, a library)
“I need to take back this book to the library.”
“She took the dress back to the shop.”
“Can I take it back if it doesn't fit?”
Synonyms: to return, to bring back
Phrasal verb
What does take back mean?
Meaning: to return something; to say you were wrong
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Take back = to return something (to a shop, to its place). I took back the shirt. It can also mean to say that you did not mean your words. Take that back! = say you didn't mean that! It is separable: take it back.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to say you did not mean your words
common“Take that back!”
“I take back what I said.”
Synonyms: to retract, to withdraw
3.
to make someone remember the past
figurative“This song takes me back to my childhood.”
Synonyms: to remind of, to bring back memories
Word order
Separable
The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- take back
- Past Simple:
- took back
- Past participle:
- taken back
- -ing form:
- taking back
Common mistakes to avoid
With a pronoun: between take and back
Take it back ✓ / Take back it ❌. Like all separable phrasal verbs, the pronoun (it, them, him) must go between take and back.
Take back or bring back?
Take back = to return something away from the speaker (to the shop, to where it came from). Bring back = to return something towards the speaker. Take the book back to the library / Bring back my book!
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: take back
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Take back: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “take back” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersTake back: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
The Academy gives you step-by-step exercises, answer keys and a tracking dashboard: you keep the teaching, and the tool takes care of the practice and the marking.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestTake back: often tested in the English contest
Instead of another class test, your students answer questions based on the CEFR levels, in a contest that brings the whole school together.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
What does take back mean?+
Take back has three meanings: (1) to return something (for example to a shop); (2) to say you did not mean your words; (3) to make someone remember the past (this takes me back).
What is the difference between take back and bring back?+
Take back = a movement away from the speaker (to the shop, to where it came from). Bring back = a movement towards the speaker. I'll take it back tomorrow / Could you bring back my book?
Is take back separable?+
Yes. With a noun, both orders are correct: take back the book / take the book back. With a pronoun, you must put it in the middle: take it back ✓.
What is the past simple of take back?+
Took back. She took back the dress yesterday = she returned the dress to the shop yesterday. Take is irregular: take → took → taken.
What does “this song takes me back” mean?+
It means the song makes you remember a time in the past. This song takes me back to my childhood = this song makes me remember when I was a child. The pattern is take + person + back to + a time. This figurative meaning is very common.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/take-back
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.