playback

1 of 2

noun

play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak How to pronounce playback (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The remainder were freshly written and recorded to the album after their initial playback in the studio. Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Five minutes of charging gets you 2.4 hours of playback with ANC on, or 5 hours with it off. Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 1 July 2025
Verb
As Peter Gonzalez took possession from a throw-in, a fan in the stands tossed the ball that had gone out of play back on the field. Jon Arnold, New York Times, 15 June 2025 Spanning genres and subject matters, the album plays back to front as a raunchy, raucous ride through Firstman’s unique comedy lens. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for playback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of playback was in 1929

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playback. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

playback

1 of 2 noun
play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak How to pronounce playback (audio)
: 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)

More from Merriam-Webster on playback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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