# grow back

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grow-back
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to start growing again after being cut or lost.

For teachers: to regrow or return to a previous state of growth following removal, loss, or pruning; typically used in biological contexts such as hair, plants, or limbs.

## Examples

- My hair will grow back soon.
- If you cut the grass too short in the summer, it might not grow back quickly.
- Biologists are studying how certain reptiles possess the unique ability to grow back their tails after escaping a predator.

## Pitfalls

- Not "My hair will grow it back." but "My hair will grow back." — when the subject is the thing growing, the verb is intransitive and does not take an object.

## Usage notes

- usually used intransitively, but can be used transitively when referring to specific body parts or plant sections.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'regrow' to show how phrasal verbs often provide the more common, everyday alternative to Latinate verbs in English.

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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.