reverse engineering

American  

[ri-vurs en-juh-neer-ing] / rɪˈvɜrs ˌɛn dʒəˈnɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the process of deconstructing and analyzing a device, a piece of software, or some other product, in order to understand its design or function and be able to produce something similar.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reverse engineering

USA Rare Earth dismissed the charges in a rebuttal it filed in Texas court last week, saying the technology is “readily ascertainable via independent development, reverse engineering, and/or other proper means.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

“So it was kind of reverse engineering what shopping centers had been for decades.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026

Biohacking covers a range of activities, from performing gene-editing in garages to synthesizing the ingredients of certain medicines or technologies and publishing DIY instructions on how to make them at home to reverse engineering vaccines.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2024

This reverse engineering has turned up a surprising list of ingredients that were mixed into old buildings — materials such as tree bark, volcanic ash, rice, beer and even urine.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2023

In telling the story, Bunnie has also created a kind of Bible for reverse engineering and hardware hacking.

From Little Brother by Cory Doctorow