1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To reinvest profits or earnings back into the same business or enterprise.
"The founders ploughed all their early profits back into research and development."
separable
plough back
B2 neutral separable transitive
To reinvest profits or money back into the same business or activity that generated them.
In plain English
To take the money a business makes and put it straight back into the business to make it grow.
What does "plough back" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use a plough to turn soil back into the ground.
Actually means
To take the money a business makes and put it straight back into the business to make it grow.
Usage tip
Chiefly British English in business and financial contexts. The agricultural metaphor is of ploughing organic matter back into soil to enrich it. Often followed by 'into': 'plough profits back into the company.'
Words that pair with "plough back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
profits earnings money revenue funds gains
How to conjugate "plough back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
plough back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ploughs back
he/she/it
Past simple
ploughed back
yesterday
Past participle
ploughed back
have + pp
-ing form
ploughing back
continuous
Hear "plough back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "plough back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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