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Glite Dictionary
to work back

to work back

1 5.1
To plan or check earlier steps by working backwards from a deadline
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : trabajar hacia atrás
  • To meet the project deadline, we need to work back from the final submission date to establish our milestones.

Starts with the smell and they might work back from that.

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Examples

  • I will start at the end and work back from there.

    Blog text (1)

  • Start close and work back for distance, all right?

    Xtinction: Predator X (2010)

  • We'll start at the end of the block and work back.

    The Hidden (1987)

  • And then you work back toward what might be the right experiment.

  • I'll work back here if you want me to.

    Lovely Molly (2011)

  • Start from what you think is achievable and then work back how you can get there.

  • The detective decided to work back through the timeline to identify the suspect's movements.

  • After the meeting, we will work back to refine our strategy and address any overlooked issues.

Synonyms

to backtrack
vsto work back
42 4.3

To go back along the same route you have just taken

revisits earlier stages or plans steps in reverse from endpoint
to retrace
vsto work back
31 4.2

To go back along the same route you already took

focuses on planning or calculating steps backward from an endpoint
to retrace one's steps
vsto work back
15 4.3

To go back the same way you came to find something you lost

applies instead to planning or revisiting stages from a final point
to backtrace
vsto work back
2 7.2

To follow program steps backward to find the first error

plans or calculates steps in reverse from a deadline or endpoint
to backtrail
vsto work back
6.8

To go back along the path you came to return to the start

is about reversing or recalculating steps from an endpoint rather than navigation

Antonyms

to advance
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

How Far Back

to work back
1 5.1
to review
  • Formal
384 2.6
to check
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

work back infinitive
worked back past
worked back past participle
working back present participle
works back third person singular

Morphology

work + back

The meaning 'to plan or proceed in reverse order' is directly and predictably built from 'work' (to proceed or carry out tasks) + 'back' (indicating a reverse direction). The particle 'back' clearly signals reversal, a common compositional pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words is likely to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Work back gives a simple picture: you start at the end (the deadline) and move backwards through earlier tasks, like rewinding a tape. So, it means 'to plan steps in reverse order' or 'to go back through earlier stages'.