claw back
Britishverb
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to get back (something) with difficulty
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to recover (a sum of money), esp by taxation or a penalty
noun
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the recovery of a sum of money, esp by taxation or a penalty
-
the sum so recovered
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
SEIU-UHW does not have an estimated total amount the initiative would claw back from pay packages that exceed the limit.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
At a time when Americans are closely watching the cost of living, there’s extra urgency to claw back money from the government.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Palantir also got a shout-out from Trump on Friday, helping it to claw back some losses during a session in which investors fretted about Anthropic’s new AI model.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
Pep Guardiola's side, looking to claw back the deficit, can increase the pressure when they host the leaders in a monumental fixture at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 19 April.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
However, Amanda had a temper of her own, and she could claw back.
From The Copy-Cat and Other Stories by Freeman, Mary Eleanor Wilkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
