1 A2 neutral
To return to a place where you previously lived.
"After losing his job, he had no choice but to move back in with his parents."
move back
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To return to a previous position or place of residence; to postpone something to a later time; or to move in a backward direction.
In plain English
Go back to where you were before, or delay something until later.
What does "move back" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To move in a backward direction, away from where you are.
"The referee signalled the players to move back behind the line."
3 B1 neutral
To postpone an event, deadline, or appointment to a later time or date.
"Can we move the meeting back by an hour? I have a call that runs until noon."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To go in the backward direction — transparent.
Actually means
Go back to where you were before, or delay something until later.
Usage tip
Very versatile. Can mean physically moving backward, returning to a previous home, or rescheduling an event to a later date. All senses are common and natural in everyday English.
Words that pair with "move back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
deadline appointment home parents position step
How to conjugate "move back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
move back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
moves back
he/she/it
Past simple
moved back
yesterday
Past participle
moved back
have + pp
-ing form
moving back
continuous
Hear "move back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "move back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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