phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

call back

to return a phone call

What it means

To return a phone call that someone made to you earlier. It can also mean to ask someone to come back, such as inviting a candidate to a second job interview.

Examples

  • I'm in a meeting right now, but I'll call you back this afternoon.
  • She left three messages, so please call her back as soon as possible.
  • The manager liked his resume and decided to call him back for another interview.
  • Sorry I missed your call last night; I just woke up and saw it.

Where it comes from

Separable: you can say 'call him back' or 'call back the customer'. Common in everyday speech and in customer service contexts in both British and American English.

Related phrasal verbs

#call off#ring up#hang up#come back

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