revert

verb

re·​vert ri-ˈvərt 

reverted; reverting; reverts

intransitive verb

1

: to come or go back (as to a former condition, period, or subject)

2

: to return to the proprietor or his or her heirs at the end of a reversion

3

: to return to an ancestral type

reverter noun

revertible

ri-ˈvər-tə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• return

Examples of revert in a Sentence

after the national emergency had passed, the political parties abandoned their shotgun unity and reverted to their partisan squabbling

Recent Examples on the Web

After issuing its conclusion on Thursday, the DOE gave Denver Public Schools the opportunity to revert the all-gender restrooms back to ones separated by gender or risk further enforcement actions. —Sonam Sheth gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025

The new maps would hold through the ’26, ’28 and ’30 elections, before redistricting authority would revert back to the commission. —Julia Mueller, The Hill, 27 Aug. 2025

Now, the shag seems to be reverting back to its original form with A-listers such as Suki Waterhouse and Selena Gomez donning the look in recent weeks. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2025

The rest of the patch notes include a ton of AI changes, some balance changes for the hardcore wipe, which is still proving controversial despite a lot of the most egregious changes being reverted already, and a big list of bug fixes. —Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French revertir, from Latin revertere, transitive verb, "to turn back" & reverti, intransitive verb, "to return, come back," from re- + vertere, verti "to turn" — more at worth

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing revert

• revert to
• revert to type

Rhymes for revert

• alert
• assert
• avert
• dessert
• divert
• evert
• exert
• inert
• insert
• invert
• nightshirt
• overt

Kids Definition

revert

verb

re·​vert ri-ˈvərt 

1

: to come or go back

reverted to the customs of their ancestors

2

: to experience reversion

Medical Definition

revert

intransitive verb

re·​vert ri-ˈvərt 

: to undergo reversion

revertible

-ˈvərt-ə-bəl 

adjective

Legal Definition

revert

intransitive verb

re·​vert ri-ˈvərt 

1

: to come or go back (as to a former status or state)

if the donee of a general power fails to exercise it…the appointive assets revert to the donor's estate

—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

2

: to return to the grantor or his or her heirs as a reversion

revertible

-ˈvər-tə-bəl 

adjective