reboot

American  

[ree-boot, ree-boot, ree-boot] / riˈbut, riˈbut, ˈriˌbut /

verb (used with object)

• reboots,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rebooted,
  past participle,  past
• rebooting
  present participle

1. to restart (a computer) by loading the operating system; boot again.

2. to produce a distinctly new version of (an established media franchise, as a film, TV show, video game, or comic book).

   The studio is rebooting Spider-Man.

3. to make a change in (something) in order to establish a new beginning: Lower interest rates are intended to reboot the economy.

   She’s rebooting her career.

   Lower interest rates are intended to reboot the economy.

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verb (used without object)

• reboots,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rebooted,
  past participle,  past
• rebooting
  present participle

1. (of a computer) to be restarted.

noun

• reboots
  plural

1. an act or instance of restarting a computer.

2. an act or instance of making a change in order to establish a new beginning.

   a reboot of our product line.

3. a distinctly new version of an established media franchise.

   The show will be a gritty reboot of the classic TV series from the 1970s.

reboot British  

/ riːˈbuːt /

verb

1. to shut down and restart (a computer system) or (of a computer system) to shut down and restart

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reboot Cultural  

1. A term that comes from computer usage. To reboot a computer is to start it up again after a computer crash. Hence, “reboot” has the connotation of starting a process over again.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• reboots
  plural

Participles

• rebooting
  present
• rebooted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• reboot
  simple
• reboots
  simple
• have rebooted
  perfect
• has rebooted
  perfect
• am rebooting
  progressive
• are rebooting
  progressive
• is rebooting
  progressive
• have been rebooting
  perfect progressive
• has been rebooting
  perfect progressive

Past

• rebooted
  simple
• had rebooted
  perfect
• was rebooting
  progressive
• were rebooting
  progressive
• had been rebooting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will reboot
  simple
• will have rebooted
  perfect
• will be rebooting
  progressive
• will have been rebooting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of reboot

First recorded in 1970–75; re- ( def. ) + boot ¹ (in the sense “to start a computer”)

Explanation

To reboot is to reload the operating system of a computer: to start it up again. Booting is starting a computer's operating system, so rebooting is to start it for a second or third time. Rebooting is usually necessary after a computer crashes, meaning it stops working because of a malfunction. Rebooting allows the computer to restart and get back to working normally. After a crash, the computer is useless until you reboot. This word has been extended to other types of second beginnings: when a movie series (like Spider-Man) starts over, it has been rebooted.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reboot reboots rebooted rebooting

Both actors are also lining up new projects: Thiele is developing the semi-autobiographical comedy “Off Color” for Prime Video and joining the “13 Going on 30” reboot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

The reboot of the singing contest could include ex-judge Simon Cowell, the paper says.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

The latest reboot inspires more scepticism than hope for some in Cheorwon.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

But, notably, Carter’s director’s cut arrives on Hulu on the heels of Ryan Coogler finishing an “X-Files” reboot pilot for the streamer.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

I had only about five minutes alone to soak in a warm bath and reboot myself for what came next.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

The 1993 blockbuster dominated his filmography and sparked a series of sequels and reboots - including the recent Jurassic World series, in which he reprised his role as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

The path these men blazed led to the endless sequels and prequels, remakes and reboots, churned out by the corporate-owned, IP-obsessed studios of the 2020s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

And John Nugent, from Empire, says previous reboots have veered into the realms of parody but this revival "goes back to basics".

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

Disney programmers are preparing reboots of nostalgic 20th Television-produced shows, including “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Scrubs.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2025

Director Fede Álvarez reboots the franchise for a new generation by deftly blending the horror of the first movie with the adrenaline-spiking action of the second, along with a little too much goofy fan service.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2025

She wants to allow Nolan creative freedom, knowing that the Greek playwrights rebooted figures like Odysseus and Medea just like Marvel treats Spider-Man.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Some OpenAI developers hacked the site to get 200 water bottles, so it had to be rebooted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

While there’s no doubt the boycott irreversibly shifted public perception of the franchise in its rebooted state, “Scream 7” managed a record-breaking opening weekend gross of $63.6 million, the franchise’s largest before inflation is adjusted.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026

However, gold saw selling earlier in the session after pushing above $5,500, recovered, then selling rebooted later in the day.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 30, 2026

Piper explained her version of events—how she’d rebooted the metal dragon with charmspeak.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Billy is the star of the original “Camp Miasma” that Kris is rebooting, and she’s just given Kris permission to be as weird as she needs to be in order to come.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

Even more frightening is the fact he's rebooting for version 2.0.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

President Ahmed al-Sharaa has been rebooting Syria's international credentials and seeking to revive his struggling country after toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

With the winds of viral fame at his back, Rahma is rebooting one of his earliest video concepts, Keep the Meter Running.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

Just a maintenance tech here, folks, heading home after a long night of rebooting routers.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• reset