13 Phrasal Verbs with BACK

Phrasal Verbs with BACK

Hello English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. Do you know the difference between the phrasal verbs go back and come back? In today’s lesson, we will look at the phrasal verbs with “back”.

1.     Come back
2.     Die back
3.     Draw back
4.     Fall back
5.     Get back
6.     Get back at
7.     Get back to
8.     Get back together
9.     Go back
10.    Grow back
11.    Hit back
12.    Lie back
13.    Sit back

Come back

Come back means to return.

• When did you come back home last night?
• They didn’t let him enter the hotel because he came back after midnight.

Also: to return to your memory.

• The conversation he had with his grandfather many years ago was coming back to him.

Die back

If a plant dies back, it loses its leaves but its root remains alive so it can grow again.

• The roses died back but they’ll grow again in the spring.
• My house plant turned brown and almost died back, but it recovered after a fertilizer treatment.

Draw back

If we draw back, we move away from someone or something.

• Linda drew back from the window when she realized a man in the street was staring at her.
• People drew back when they saw a snake.

Fall back

If something falls back, it becomes lower in amount or value.

• The share prices fell back after the inflation.

Get back

To get back means to return, especially to return home.

• Martin was very tired when he got back from the trip.
• What time did you get back home?

To get something back means to get something after you gave it to someone or lost it.

• Can you believe that I got my identity card back? They found it on the train.

Get back at

To get back to someone means to get revenge on them.

• I watched a film where the main actor got back at a psychopath who killed his brother.

Get back to

If you get back to someone, you call them or write to them at a later time.

• I’m busy now. I’ll get back to you later.

Get back together

To get back together with someone means to start a relationship with them again, especially a romantic one.

• Simon got back together with his girlfriend.
• Do you think that the Oasis will ever get back together?

Go back

The phrasal verb go back can be used in a few different ways.

To return to a place:

• They went back to the beach after lunch.

When people have known each other for some time:

• Sara and I go back ten years.

When something has existed for some time:

• It is a very old family. It goes back to the Middle Ages.

Grow back

When something has been cut off or damaged it starts to grow again we say that it grows back.

• Gregory’s beard grew back in a month.
• After Jill cut off the rose bushes in her garden, they grew back even more.

Hit back

To hit back means to respond to someone’s accusations and criticism.

• At the TV show, the politician hit back at his opponent by accusing him of being irresponsible.

Lie back

If you lie back, you are relaxing.

• Lying back in her bed after the long journey was heaven.

Sit back

If you are sitting back in your chair or a driver’s seat, you are sitting in a relaxed position.

• When we came, Michael was sitting back in an armchair and enjoying his cup of coffee.

Phrasal Verbs with BACK