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

Controls cover the basic playback functions, including repeat-one, sequential-play, and shuffle modes – though ultimately, the spinning disc remains the star of the show. — New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2026

Everything before Odyssey — Project Hail Mary, One Battle After Another — all those films used our old audio-playback system, which was a 30-year-old design. — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Verb

The intuitive Moon conjoins sensual Venus in your 5th House of Creativity, inviting pleasure, art, flirtation, or play back into your day. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

These changes include bringing match-play back and moving the Tour Championship around to various prestigious golf courses, including many that the tour will play for the first time such as Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey, Cypress Point Club in California and Seminole Golf Club in Florida. — Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for playback

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

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)