playback

1 of 2

noun

play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak 

: an act or instance of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording

play back

2 of 2

verb

played back; playing back; plays back

transitive verb

: to perform a playback of (a usually recently recorded disc or tape)

Examples of playback in a Sentence

Noun

The band listened to a playback of their first recording.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That device included 4K Dolby Vision HDR video playback capabilities with Dolby Atmos sound, and could be used to both record live TV and access a range of streaming apps. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025

Its battery also lasts around 50 hours per charge, and a 10-minute quick charge restores 5 hours of playback. —PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2025

Verb

Game 3 will be played back in Seattle and Mariners manager Dan Wilson is looking forward to playing in front of the home fans. —Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025

Then with the Jaguars, who were playing back-to-back games in the UK last October, Robertson-Harris was informed the day after the first of those games that he’d been traded — to the Seattle Seahawks. —Michael Silver, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for playback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

playback

1 of 2 noun

play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak 

: the action of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording

play back

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)plā-ˈbak

: to perform a playback of (a disc or tape)