rewind

1 of 2

verb

re·​wind (ˌ)rē-ˈwīnd 

rewound (ˌ)rē-ˈwau̇nd  ; rewinding

transitive verb

: to wind again

especially : to reverse the winding of

rewind film

rewind

2 of 2

noun

re·​wind ˈrē-ˌwīnd  (ˌ)rē-ˈwīnd 

1

: something that rewinds or is rewound

2

: an act of rewinding

3

: a function of an electronic device that reverses a recording to a previous portion

Examples of rewind in a Sentence

Verb

Rewind the tape so that we can hear that song again.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On paper, this prequel-y reboot seemed to rewind too far, starting in more or less contemporary times and thus removing the more fantastical elements (and replacing them, unpromisingly, with leading man James Franco). — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026

The series follows photography student Max Caulfield (newcomer Tatum Grace Hopkins), who gains the ability to rewind time while saving her best friend, Chloe Price (Maisy Stella). — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

Noun

Still, rewind two years, and there was little to enjoy about Garcia’s predicament. — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

But Comcast may have set some type of speed record with its 180-degree strategic rewind. — Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1717, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rewind

1 of 2 verb

re·​wind rē-ˈwīnd 

rewound -ˈwau̇nd  ; rewinding

: to wind again

especially : to reverse the winding of (as a video tape)

rewind

2 of 2 noun

re·​wind ˈrē-ˌwīnd 

: a function of an electronic device that reverses a recording to a previous portion