rollback

1 of 2

noun

roll·​back ˈrōl-ˌbak 

: the act or an instance of rolling back

a government-ordered rollback of gasoline prices

roll back

2 of 2

verb

rolled back; rolling back; rolls back

transitive verb

1

: to reduce or decrease something

rolling back their mortgage rates

specifically : to reduce (something, such as a commodity price) to or toward a previous level on a national scale

2

: to cause to retreat or withdraw : push back

3

: rescind

attempted to roll back antipollution standards

Synonyms of rollback

Verb

• abolish
• repeal
• cancel
• set aside
• avoid
• strike down
• overturn

Examples of rollback in a Sentence

Noun

a government-ordered rollback of gasoline prices

a rollback in environmental regulations

a rollback of previous wage concessions

Verb

lobbyists for the industry pressured the legislators to roll back the new automotive safety standards

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

His administration has also demanded the rollback of land expropriation policies and Black Economic Empowerment laws, which were established to redress the legacy of apartheid. — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026

The rollback of environmental safeguards is, for many, a call to arms. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Verb

Today, Amawtay Wasi is at risk of closing, underscoring how quickly social gains can be rolled back. — Caterina Morbiato, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026

Kim, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, also said he was not convinced Republicans would work with Democrats next year to roll back or delay the scheduled Medicaid cuts. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1937, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1942, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for rollback

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