get back
A2 neutral separable both
In simple words
To return somewhere, or to get something back that you had before.
Literal meaning: To move back to a previous position — the literal sense covers most uses.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
To return to a place, especially home.
"What time did you get back last night?"
2 A2 neutral
To recover or regain something that was taken, lost, or given away.
"I lent him my book two months ago and I still haven't got it back."
"You can't get your time back."
— Common motivational aphorism; widely used in TED Talks and self-help literature
Grammar: separable
3 A2 neutral
To move to a safer distance; to step back from something.
"The crowd was told to get back as the fire spread."
"Get back! Get back!"
— The Beatles, 'Get Back' (1969)
Usage notes
When meaning 'to return somewhere', it is intransitive. When meaning 'to recover something', it is transitive and separable: 'get your money back' or 'get back your money'.
Commonly used with
home money job later tonight control
Forms
Base
get back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets back
he/she/it
Past simple
got back
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten back
have + pp
-ing form
getting back
continuous
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Synonyms
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