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reverse

adjective
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re·​verse | \ ri-ˈvərs How to pronounce reverse (audio) \

Definition of reverse

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1a : opposite or contrary to a previous or normal condition reverse order
b(1) : having the back presented to the observer or opponent
(2) : made with one's back to the basketball net a reverse layup
2 : coming from the rear of a military force
3 : acting, operating, or arranged in a manner contrary to the usual
4 : effecting reverse movement reverse gear
5 : so made that the part which normally prints in color appears white against a colored background

reverse

verb
reversed; reversing

Definition of reverse (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to turn completely about in position or direction
b : to turn upside down : invert
c : to cause to take an opposite point of view reversed herself on the issue
2 : negate, undo: such as
a : to overthrow, set aside, or make void (a legal decision) by a contrary decision
b : to change to the contrary reverse a policy
c : to undo or negate the effect of (something, such as a condition or surgical operation) had his vasectomy reversed
3 : to cause to go in the opposite direction especially : to cause (something, such as an engine) to perform its action in the opposite direction

intransitive verb

1 : to turn or move in the opposite direction the count's waltzing … consisted … of reversing at top speed— Agatha Christie
2 : to put a mechanism (such as an engine) in reverse
reverse field or reverse one's field
: to make a sudden reversal in direction or opinion

reverse

noun

Definition of reverse (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : something directly contrary to something else : opposite
2 : an act or instance of reversing especially : defeat, setback suffered financial reverses
3 : the back part of something especially : the side of a coin or currency note that is opposite the obverse
4a(1) : a gear that reverses something also : the whole mechanism brought into play when such a gear is used
(2) : movement in reverse
b : an offensive play in football in which a back moving in one direction gives the ball to a player moving in the opposite direction
in reverse
: in an opposite manner or direction
Other Words from reverse Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about reverse

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Other Words from reverse

Adjective

reversely adverb

Verb

reverser noun

Synonyms for reverse

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

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Choose the Right Synonym for reverse

Verb

reverse, transpose, invert mean to change to the opposite position. reverse is the most general term and may imply change in order, side, direction, meaning. reversed his position on the trade agreement transpose implies a change in order or relative position of units often through exchange of position. transposed the letters to form an anagram invert applies chiefly to turning upside down or inside out. the number 9 looks like an inverted 6

Examples of reverse in a Sentence

Adjective Can you say the alphabet in reverse order? The drug is used to lower blood pressure but may have the reverse effect in some patients. Verb The runners reversed their direction on the track. There is no way to reverse the aging process. Can anything reverse the trend toward higher prices? Reverse the “i” and “e” in “recieve” to spell “receive” correctly. My mother and I reversed our roles. Now I'm taking care of her. We're going to reverse our usual order and start with Z. Noun The building appears on the reverse of the coin. Please sign your name on the reverse. I put the car in reverse and backed out of the garage.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Instead of a rectangular camera bump in the middle of the phone’s reverse side, the camera bump now blends into one of the device’s upper corners, creating a smoother appearance. — Aaron Pressman, Fortune, "Everything to know about Samsung’s new Galaxy S21 phones," 14 Jan. 2021 Carefully flip patties and sear reverse side, 1-2 minutes for medium-rare. — Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, "A Great Way to Cook Steak at Home, According to a Top Chef," 21 Dec. 2020 The reverse side is a soft, warm sherpa that feels great against bare skin. — Micolette Davis, Chron, "The coziest blankets to buy your grandparents this year," 4 Dec. 2020 The reverse side is 100-percent polyester sherpa fleece. — Lauren Levy, NBC News, "Bed Bath & Beyond gifts 2020: Holiday gift ideas and gift guide," 24 Nov. 2020 Life Line Emergency Vehicles (Life Line) is recalling one 2020 Ford F450 vehicle and one 2017 Navistar Durastar vehicle, equipped with 7x9 combination LED Stop-Tail-Turn reverse lights. — USA TODAY, "Car recalls for March 11-18," 18 Mar. 2021 DraftKings, which was founded in 2012, has been on a tear since the company went public through a reverse merger last April—its stock price jumped has 260%. — Will Yakowicz, Forbes, "March Madness Gamblers Expected To Break $8.5 Billion Record Thanks To Mobile Sports Betting," 17 Mar. 2021 Instead of parades, there will be a drive-through reverse parade featuring stationary parade units with Irish entertainers and dignitaries. — Kevyn Burger Special To The Star Tribune, Star Tribune, "The value of 'weak ties': Minnesotans are missing their acquaintances during the pandemic," 16 Mar. 2021 The Iranian effort essentially employed reverse psychology. — New York Times, "Russian Interference in 2020 Included Influencing Trump Associates, Report Says," 16 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The new administration took swift actions right from the start to reverse several immigration policies of the Trump era. — Quinn Owen, ABC News, "1st news media allowed inside overcrowded migrant facility under Biden," 30 Mar. 2021 Upon taking office, the Democrat immediately sought to reverse the most restrictive policies implemented by former President Donald Trump, a one-time ally of Ducey on border policies. — Rafael Carranza, The Arizona Republic, "As number of migrants at the border surges, Arizona Gov. Ducey plans trip to investigate," 19 Mar. 2021 In particular, Biden’s young administration was almost immediately faced with a new flood of immigrant families and youthful border-crossers, many drawn by his initial steps to reverse Trump’s draconian migration policies. — Washington Post, "Biden will send Mexico surplus vaccines, as U.S. seeks help on immigration enforcement," 18 Mar. 2021 At a news conference after the Fed’s latest policy meeting, Chair Jerome Powell stressed that the central bank wants to see substantial improvement in the job market and economy and won’t reverse its low-rate policies based solely on forecasts. — Martin Crutsinger, Anchorage Daily News, "Federal Reserve expects to keep its key rate near zero through 2023," 17 Mar. 2021 The scene reflects a surge of migrants, particularly children, challenging the new administration of President Joe Biden, who entered office promising to reverse the hardline policies of his predecessor. — Rosa Flores, CNN, "CNN at the border: Why migrants say they're making the dangerous journey now," 13 Mar. 2021 Migrants have also hoped for a more welcoming response at the U.S. border as Biden seeks to reverse anti-immigration policies put in place by the Trump administration. — Gina Heeb, Forbes, "ICE Says Immediate Action Needed ‘To Protect Life And Safety’ Of Staff, Migrants," 12 Mar. 2021 In trying to hold the middle at home, Biden has been under pressure not to completely reverse Trump’s hawkish policies on China. — Annabelle Timsit, Quartz, "Biden lays out a vision for China relations," 19 Feb. 2021 She is expected to reverse policies regarding the UN established under Trump. — Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, "Joe Biden's Cabinet picks and where they stand in Senate confirmation proceedings," 22 Jan. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun My driveway has a steep incline that requires any car to enter in reverse, lest clutches be incinerated and tires shredded when attempting to back up and exit. — Robert Ross, Robb Report, "Drive Review: Why These Two Mercedes SUVs Belong in the Same Garage," 1 Apr. 2021 Authentication works in reverse too, meaning sellers can also conduct their business and be assured they won’t be scammed by unscrupulous buyers. — CNN Underscored, "Explore your passion for sneakers — let eBay take care of the paperwork," 27 Mar. 2021 For instance, if someone was falling down, that action couldn’t be performed in reverse, so it would be filmed in forward motion. — Daron James, Los Angeles Times, "How the ‘Tenet’ visual effects team crafted a palindrome of complex visuals," 23 Mar. 2021 With the vaccine rollout, the same is happening in reverse. — Sam Knight, The New Yorker, "Boris Johnson’s Vaccine Miracle," 18 Mar. 2021 That would carry the same likelihood as sending a rocket into space that would launch 11 satellites and then come back to earth, driving in reverse, and landing backwards on solid ground here on Mother Earth. — Eli Amdur, Forbes, "Elon Musk: “TechnoKing Of Tesla”: Really? Really!," 18 Mar. 2021 Video footage of the case showed that as the victim rushed from the store to try to stop Davis from driving off — by opening the passenger side door — Davis accelerated in reverse, which pulled the man under the SUV. — Washington Post, "Eight years for convicted carjacker caught in video dragging, running over driver," 17 Mar. 2021 The woman then got out of the vehicle, went to the rear of the car, and was struck and run over when Tubbs put the car in reverse, police said. — Bob Dohr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee man arrested for OWI, hit-and-run after running over a woman outside of a Greenfield bar, police say," 13 Mar. 2021 The obvious bets to profit from an inflation scare are the reverse of what worked last year: dump Treasurys, dump high-grade bonds, dump growth stocks, buy cheap economically-sensitive cyclical stocks, buy commodities, buy junk bonds. — James Mackintosh, WSJ, "A Fed With No Fear of Inflation Should Scare Investors," 21 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reverse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of reverse

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for reverse

Adjective

Middle English revers, from Anglo-French, from Latin reversus, past participle of revertere to turn back — more at revert

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Time Traveler for reverse

Time Traveler

The first known use of reverse was in the 14th century

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Statistics for reverse

Last Updated

2 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Reverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverse. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for reverse

reverse

adjective
How to pronounce reverse (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of reverse

 (Entry 1 of 3)

: opposite to what is usual or stated
: opposite to the front

reverse

verb

English Language Learners Definition of reverse (Entry 2 of 3)

: to change (something) to an opposite state or condition
: to cause (something, such as a process) to stop or return to an earlier state
: to change the order or position of (two things or a series)

reverse

noun

English Language Learners Definition of reverse (Entry 3 of 3)

: something that is opposite to something else
: the back side of a coin, document, etc.
formal : a change that makes something worse

See the full definition for reverse in the English Language Learners Dictionary

reverse

adjective
re·​verse | \ ri-ˈvərs How to pronounce reverse (audio) \

Kids Definition of reverse

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : opposite to a previous, normal, or usual condition reverse order
2 : opposite to the front the reverse side

reverse

verb
reversed; reversing

Kids Definition of reverse (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : to turn completely around or upside down or inside out The jacket reverses.
2 : to change the order or position of Reverse the vowels to correctly spell the word.
3 : to change or cause to change to an opposite or former state, condition, or view The court reversed a decision.
4 : to go or cause to go in the opposite direction

reverse

noun

Kids Definition of reverse (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : something opposite to something else : contrary The river flows west to east, not the reverse.
2 : an act or instance of changing to an opposite or former state, condition, view, or direction a reverse of plans
3 : the back part of something the reverse of a coin
4 : a gear that reverses something Put the car in reverse.

reverse

transitive verb
re·​verse | \ ri-ˈvərs How to pronounce reverse (audio) \
reversed; reversing

Medical Definition of reverse

: to change drastically or completely the course or effect of: as
a : to initiate recovery from reverse a disease
b : to make of no effect or as if not done reverse a surgical procedure

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reverse

verb
re·​verse
reversed; reversing

Legal Definition of reverse

transitive verb

: to set aside or make void (a judgment or decision) by a contrary decision — compare affirm

intransitive verb

: to reverse a decision or judgment for these reasons, we reverse

Other Words from reverse

reversible adjective

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More from Merriam-Webster on reverse

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reverse

Nglish: Translation of reverse for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of reverse for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reverse

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