# come back

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/come-back
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. return to a place

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

to return to a place where you were before.

For teachers: to return to a location previously visited or occupied. The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

- We had a great time at the beach and hope to come back next summer.
- After spending three years working abroad in Singapore, she finally decided to come back to her hometown to be closer to her aging parents.

### 2. memories returning

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

when you suddenly remember something you had forgotten.

For teachers: to return to one's consciousness or memory after a period of being forgotten.

- I couldn't remember his name at first, but then it suddenly came back to me.
- As he walked through the old school hallways, vivid memories of his childhood began to come back with surprising clarity.

### 3. becoming popular again

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to become fashionable or popular again after being out of style.

For teachers: to return to a former state of popularity, fashion, or success.

- Many people think that 90s fashion is starting to come back.
- Vinyl records have managed to come back in a significant way, despite the total dominance of digital streaming services in the modern music industry.

### 4. to retort

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to answer someone quickly, especially in an argument.

For teachers: to reply or retort, often sharply or cleverly, in response to a statement or criticism.

- He didn't know how to come back after her clever insult.
- She was known for her sharp wit and her ability to come back with a devastating remark whenever she was challenged in a debate.

## Examples

- Please come back soon.
- He left for college but promised he would come back to visit during the holidays.
- After years in obscurity, the once-famous author hoped her new novel would help her come back into the public eye.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'go back': 'come back' implies movement towards the speaker's location, while 'go back' implies movement away from it.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.