reboot

American

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

verb (used with object)

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

verb (used without object)

(of a computer) to be restarted.

noun

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

a reboot of our product line.
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

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

reboot Cultural

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.

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing reboot

Computer Science and Technology - Introductory

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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nuno arrived in September looking to reboot a side that took only three points from their opening five games under Potter.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

“Michael”’s box office reign comes to us during a season that includes the highly anticipated TV reboot of the Harry Potter franchise, despite its author J.K.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

Amazon is discussing a potential reboot of “The Apprentice,” the reality TV show that once starred Donald Trump and propelled him to national fame.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

Universal’s “Miami Vice ’85” movie reboot won’t come out until 2028, but fans of the neon-hued South Florida crime genre looking to scratch that itch can check out “M.I.A.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

She just wanted to reboot our lives together.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023