Definition

Verb (transitive): 1. To repurchase something that one previously owned: To acquire an item again by paying money for it, after having sold it, lost possession of it, or given it away in the past.

Usage

The verb "buy back" is used with a direct object (the item being repurchased). It often implies a reversal of a previous transaction or a recovery of a former possession. It is commonly used in financial, business, and personal contexts.

Examples

• The company decided to buy back its shares from the open market to increase their value.
• She managed to buy back the family heirloom from the antique dealer.
• After regretting his decision, he tried to buy back the car he sold last year.

Advanced Usage

• Buyback (noun): The act or an instance of buying something back. This is a separate, related noun form.
  • The share buyback was announced last quarter.
• In finance, a "share buyback" or "stock buyback" is a specific corporate action where a company repurchases its own outstanding shares from investors.

Variants and Related Words

• Repurchase (verb): A more formal synonym for "buy back."
• Redeem (verb): Can be similar in contexts like reclaiming a pawned item ("redeem from pawn") or repurchasing for a specific purpose, but has broader meanings related to exchange and atonement.

Synonyms

• Repurchase
• Reacquire
• Regain (by purchase)

Phrasal Verbs

• Buy back is itself a phrasal verb. It is separable.
  • He bought the house back. (Correct)
  • He bought back the house. (Correct)

Verb

1. buy what had previously been sold, lost, or given away
   • He bought back the house that his father sold years ago