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

The Supreme Court’s rollback of the Voting Rights Act is already throwing the 2026 midterm elections into flux, as states weigh last-minute changes to their congressional maps, while preparing for a much broader redistricting battle in the years beyond. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026

The report outlining the state’s success comes amid a rollback in federal funding and support for climate issues. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026

Verb

State and federal policymakers should cooperate to roll back pervasive and excessive occupational-licensing restrictions, which make switching jobs or upskilling needlessly difficult. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026

Washington awaits Iran’s response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping and roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program. —Adam Schreck, Fortune, 9 May 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
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback