1 B2 neutral
To purchase something that you previously sold or that was taken from you.
"She regretted selling her grandmother's ring and spent years trying to buy it back."
separable
buy back
B2 neutral separable transitive
To purchase something that was previously sold or given away; especially when a company repurchases its own shares.
In plain English
To buy something again that you sold or gave to someone else before.
What does "buy back" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 formal
(Finance/Business) For a company to repurchase its own shares from the open market or from shareholders.
"The tech firm announced a $5 billion programme to buy back shares over the next two years."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To buy something back (returning it to the original owner).
Actually means
To buy something again that you sold or gave to someone else before.
Usage tip
Widely used in financial and business contexts, particularly 'share buyback' or 'stock buyback', where a company repurchases its own shares from shareholders. Also used in everyday contexts for buying back personal items. Can be used as a noun: 'a buyback scheme'.
Words that pair with "buy back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shares stock rights property debt item
How to conjugate "buy back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
buy back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buys back
he/she/it
Past simple
bought back
yesterday
Past participle
bought back
have + pp
-ing form
buying back
continuous
Hear "buy back" in the wild
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