as in to abolish
to put an end to by formal action
lobbyists for the industry pressured the legislators to roll back the new automotive safety standards
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in reversal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roll back
Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Last month, the CDC rolled back a decades-long recommendation that all newborns get their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours — a move experts said could lead to a resurgence of infections.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Thomas Evans, NPR, 22 Dec. 2025
Combined with other policy changes outlined in the law and the rollback of the ACA subsidies, that number could hit 16 million by 2034 – essentially wiping out the majority of gains in health insurance coverage that the ACA achieved since 2010.
—Robert Applebaum, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roll back
Verb
The optimistic scenario of regime change on the cheap failed; but, once started, the momentum toward escalation was difficult to roll back.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Last month, the CDC rolled back a decades-long recommendation that all newborns get their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours — a move experts said could lead to a resurgence of infections.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
Her in-depth reporting about one veteran DEI executive told the wider story of the emotional and personal toll this corporate rollback has taken on people working in this once-red-hot field.
—Thomas Evans, NPR, 22 Dec. 2025
Combined with other policy changes outlined in the law and the rollback of the ACA subsidies, that number could hit 16 million by 2034 – essentially wiping out the majority of gains in health insurance coverage that the ACA achieved since 2010.
—Robert Applebaum, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for roll back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roll back
Verb
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The FairTax Act of 2025 was the latest bid to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and replace income tax and other levies with a national sales tax.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Jan. 2026
-
During his campaign, Mamdani pledged to keep the NYPD’s headcount flat, abolish the department’s controversial Strategic Response Group and get rid of its gang database — all proposals opposed by Tisch, who supports hiring more cops.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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To the contrary, though the film is frequently funny, Brewer takes their ambitions and reversals seriously.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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State officials said Thursday that the FBI would be solely in charge of Wednesday's deadly encounter, in a reversal from earlier beliefs that the probe would be a dual federal-state effort.—
Maggie Vespa,
NBC news,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2020, voters repealed the Gallagher Amendment in the state constitution, which locked in a certain ratio of residential to commercial property taxes that provided extra security for homeowners against sudden increases.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
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But a further threat to its revenue comes by way of a possible ballot measure to repeal the trash pickup fee assessed last year on single-family homes that is being considered by the conservative-leaning Lincoln Club and others.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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According to sources, Washington may demand that Rodríguez facilitate the arrest or surrender of Padrino and Cabello to accompany Maduro, who appeared before a New York judge Monday to hear drug trafficking charges.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Anniversary of Noriega’s surrender Maduro’s arrest came 36 years to the date of the surrender of Panama’s strongman Manuel Noriega, a notable milestone in American involvement in the Western Hemisphere.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That band faces a similar situation as Mariachi Joya Azteca, with at least two major events canceled in 2025.—
Juan Cordoba,
Arkansas Online,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Anker 737 Power Bank keeps multiple devices running and charging, from your phone to your noise-canceling headphones, without weighing down your bag.—
Claire Gallam,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The talk will encompass later American revolutions which related directly to principles expounded on in the Declaration of Independence such as abolition and women’s suffrage and civil rights.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 Jan. 2026
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Executions in several countries that retain the death penalty surged in 2025, despite abolition campaigns gaining momentum worldwide.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In response, Moreno signed a voluntary relinquishment of Spa Bar’s massage establishment license in July.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
10 Dec. 2025
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But in 2022, when people returned to their offices or got new jobs and work schedules changed, the San Clemente shelter relinquishments jumped 87%, with 131 animals dropped off.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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To avoid this dilemma, my aunt always travels with a portable power bank like this slim option from Anker.—
Stephanie Gray,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Learn how to properly thaw frozen pipes, and how to avoid them in the first place.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Roll back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roll%20back. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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