reverse

American  

[ri-vurs] / rɪˈvɜrs /

adjective

1. opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or character.

   an impression reverse to what was intended; in reverse sequence.

   Synonyms:

   converse

   Antonyms:

   same

2. with the back or rear part toward the observer.

   the reverse side of a fabric.

3. pertaining to or producing movement in a mechanism opposite to that made under ordinary running conditions.

   a reverse gear; a reverse turbine.

4. acting in a manner opposite or contrary to that which is usual, as an appliance or apparatus.

5. noting or pertaining to an image like that seen in a mirror; backward; reversed.

6. noting or pertaining to printed matter in which what is normally white, as the page of a book, appears as black, and vice versa.

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noun

1. the opposite or contrary of something.

   Synonyms:

   counterpart, converse

2. the back or rear of anything.

3. Numismatics.

   1. the side of a coin, medal, etc., that does not bear the principal design (opposed to obverse).

   2. the side of an ancient coin that was struck by the upper die.

4. an adverse change of fortune; a misfortune, check, or defeat.

   to meet with an unexpected reverse.

   Synonyms:

   affliction, misadventure, mishap

5. Machinery.

   1. the condition of being reversed.

      to throw an engine into reverse.

   2. a reversing mechanism.

6. Football. a play on offense in which one back running laterally hands the ball to another back who is running in the opposite direction and who then makes either an end run or a cutback.

7. Bridge. reverse bid.

8. Printing. printed matter in which areas that normally appear as white are printed in black, and vice versa.

verb (used with object)

reversed, reversing

1. to turn in an opposite position; transpose.

   The printer accidently reversed two chapters of the book.

2. to turn in the opposite direction; send on the opposite course.

3. to turn inside out or upside down.

4. to change the direction of running of (a mechanism).

5. to cause (a mechanism) to run in a direction opposite to that in which it commonly runs.

6. to revoke or annul (a decree, judgment, etc.).

   to reverse a verdict.

   Synonyms:

   overthrow, rescind, countermand, veto, repeal

7. to alter to the opposite in character or tendency; change completely.

8. to turn in the opposite order.

   to reverse the process of evolution.

9. Printing. to print as a reverse.

verb (used without object)

reversed, reversing

1. to shift into reverse gear.

   The driver drove forward, then reversed.

2. (of a mechanism) to be reversed.

3. to turn or move in the opposite or contrary direction, as in dancing.

4. Bridge. to make a reverse bid.

reverse British  

/ rɪˈvɜːs /

verb

1. to turn or set in an opposite direction, order, or position

2. to change into something different or contrary; alter completely

   reverse one's policy

3. (also intr) to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite direction

   to reverse a car

4. to run (machinery, etc) in the opposite direction to normal

5. to turn inside out

6. law to revoke or set aside (a judgment, decree, etc); annul

7. (often foll by out) to print from plates so made that white lettering or design of (a page, text, display, etc) appears on a black or coloured background

8. military to turn one's arms upside down, esp as a token of mourning

9. to make a telephone call at the recipient's expense

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noun

1. the opposite or contrary of something

2. the back or rear side of something

3. a change to an opposite position, state, or direction

4. a change for the worse; setback or defeat

5. 1. the mechanism or gears by which machinery, a vehicle, etc, can be made to reverse its direction

   2. ( as modifier )

      reverse gear

6. the side of a coin bearing a secondary design Compare obverse

7. 1. printed matter in which normally black or coloured areas, esp lettering, appear white, and vice versa

   2. ( as modifier )

      reverse plates

8. in an opposite or backward direction

9. emphatically not; not at all

   he was the reverse of polite when I called

adjective

1. opposite or contrary in direction, position, order, nature, etc; turned backwards

2. back to front; inverted

3. operating or moving in a manner contrary to that which is usual

4. denoting or relating to a mirror image

Related Words

See opposite. Reverse, invert agree in meaning to change into a contrary position, order, or relation. To reverse is to place or move something so that it is facing in the opposite direction from the one faced previously: to reverse from right to left; to reverse a decision. To invert is to turn upside down: to invert a stamp in printing; to invert a bowl over a plate.

Other Word Forms

• half-reversed
  adjective
• nonreverse
  adjective
• nonreversed
  adjective
• nonreversing
  adjective
• prereverse
  noun
• reversedly
  adverb
• reversely
  adverb
• reverser
  noun
• unreversed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of reverse

First recorded in 1275–1325; (for the noun) Middle English revers, from Old French, from Latin reversus “turned back,” past participle of revertere “to turn back” ( see revert); (for the verb) Middle English reversen, from Old French reverser, from Late Latin reversāre “to turn around,” literally, “to turn back repeatedly,” from revertere

Explanation

To go in reverse, you back up. If you reverse your position, you suddenly take the opposite side of the argument. If you reverse your fortunes, your bad luck turns good, or your good luck turns bad. Oops. The Latin word revertere means “turn back.” To reverse means to turn back, take the opposite direction, go the other way. Many things can be reversed: you can reverse a decision, you can reverse a car — by putting it in the gear called "reverse." You can reverse a political argument, a promotion, even some surgical procedures, but you can never reverse the steady progress of time, no matter how many Botox injections you get.

Example Sentences

The 45-year-old took over Gucci in July after a decade at Balenciaga, charged with helping reverse falling sales.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Linville thinks China might not reverse the ban until August 2026, well after the bulk of the planting season.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

The latter two were likely to do with the early timing of Easter, and will reverse come April.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

He campaigned alongside West Cornwall MP Andrew George to reverse the decision for compulsory black boxes.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

I was not present at Ruth May’s birth but I have seen it now, because I saw each step of it played out in reverse at the end of her life.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• alter
• annul
• dismantle
• invalidate
• lift
• modify
• nullify
• overrule
• overturn
• quash
• repeal
• rescind
• revoke
• set aside
• undo