: an act or instance of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording
played back; playing back; plays back
: 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
Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
Many also have wireless playback options such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and multiple connectivity choices, including HDMI eARC and optical.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2026
Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026
The machine’s repertoire included answers to 12 riddles, passages from books, and laughing, crying and kissing sounds, as well as arias sung in both male and female voices—all feats that Edison’s phonograph would one day be able to accomplish by recording and playing back the human voice.
—Ron Cowen, Scientific American, 3 June 2026
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Noun
The mobile playback screen looks largely the same.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026
Many also have wireless playback options such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and multiple connectivity choices, including HDMI eARC and optical.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2026
Verb
But what’s especially fitting is that Adell brought that Canseco play back to life in a World Cup year.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026
The machine’s repertoire included answers to 12 riddles, passages from books, and laughing, crying and kissing sounds, as well as arias sung in both male and female voices—all feats that Edison’s phonograph would one day be able to accomplish by recording and playing back the human voice.
—Ron Cowen, Scientific American, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for playback
Cite this Entry
“Playback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playback. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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)
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