1 A2 neutral
to return with someone or something to the place you started from
"Could you bring back some bread on your way home?"
“
Bring back our girls.
— Global campaign slogan after the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping
separable
bring back
A2 neutral separable transitive
to return with someone or something, make something exist again, or make someone remember
In plain English
to take something back, return it, or make you remember
What does "bring back" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
to make something such as a practice, law, or style exist again
"The town wants to bring back the summer festival next year."
“
We will bring back our jobs.
— Donald Trump, campaign speeches, 2016
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
to make someone remember something from the past
"That song always brings back my first year at university."
“
The smell of chalk brought back memories of school.
— Common memoir phrasing; no single secure citation recalled
separable
Usage tip
Very common in daily conversation. The memory sense often appears with songs, smells, and photos.
Words that pair with "bring back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
memories tradition book money smell photos
How to conjugate "bring back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bring back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
brings back
he/she/it
Past simple
brought back
yesterday
Past participle
brought back
have + pp
-ing form
bringing back
continuous
Hear "bring back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bring back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "bring back"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
recall reintroduce remind restore return revive
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