reset
Americanverb (used with object)
-
resets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reset,
past participle, past
-
resetting
present participle
-
to set again.
to reset an alarm clock; to reset a broken bone.
-
to set, adjust, or fix in a new or different way.
to reset priorities; to reset prices.
-
to illegally set back the odometer on (an auto or other vehicle) to a lower reading.
a used-car dealer charged with resetting his cars.
verb (used without object)
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resets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
reset,
past participle, past
-
resetting
present participle
noun
-
resets
plural
-
an act or instance of setting again.
-
an act or instance of setting, adjusting, or fixing something in a new or different way.
A reset of relations between the two countries may be impossible. Company executives recognized the need for a reset in their business.
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something that is set again.
-
a plant that is replanted.
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a device used in resetting an instrument or control mechanism.
verb
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to set again (a broken bone, matter in type, a gemstone, etc)
-
to restore (a gauge, dial, etc) to zero
-
Also: clear. to restore (the contents of a register or similar device) in a computer system to zero
noun
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the act or an instance of setting again
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a thing that is set again
-
a plant that has been recently transplanted
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a device for resetting instruments, controls, etc
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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resetsimple
-
resetssimple
-
have resetperfect
-
has resetperfect
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am resettingprogressive
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are resettingprogressive
-
is resettingprogressive
-
have been resettingperfect progressive
-
has been resettingperfect progressive
Past
-
resetsimple
-
had resetperfect
-
was resettingprogressive
-
were resettingprogressive
-
had been resettingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reset
Explanation
When you reset something, you start it over again or adjust it. If you accidentally set your alarm to go off at 3:00 am, you'll have to sleepily reset it for 7:00 am. You may like to reset your car's odometer before starting a long trip, so you can keep track of your gas mileage. Or, you might tend to reset your alarm clock on the weekends, so it wakes you later. You can also reset many electronics by essentially making them go back to zero, or to a starting point: "I need to reset my cellphone to the original factory settings."
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.
See Examples For:
The interest rates for Series I bonds reset every six months, on Nov. 1 and May 1, and at times when inflation is rising, these announcements become news events.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
We showed our resilience and score a couple of good tries and to fight back, reset and go again was what pleased me the most.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Scientists have previously observed that reprogramming cells can reset their biological age.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
She proposed a "growth and investment reset" that ramps up funding to countries in need as part of a set of measures designed to provide sustained support at concessional rates.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
My eye starts to drift, so I blink hard to reset it.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
The risk is that market rates may rise by the time the loan resets, leading to higher monthly payments than with a traditional mortgage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
When he leaves, the landlord resets the rent to market value with new renovations, and the new tenant gets the same protections as the previous tenant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
The current tech selloff could actually be a healthy sign, as resets typically conclude only after the market leaders finally take a hit, according to Lerner.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
By understanding how Spirostomum repeatedly triggers and resets its calcium-driven contraction system, researchers hope to uncover principles that could be adapted for synthetic devices.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
I have only a minute or two, at most, before Brennar alerts everyone of what happened to him and then security resets me out of the game.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
He reckons he can make a go of it, cutting the cost of parking and overheads, resetting rents and being more nimble than previous far-flung owners.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
“Rowing, like life, is a constant state of resetting yourself,” says Teagan, explaining the four-stage cycle of a stroke.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Teen accounts would default to two hours of cumulative daily use across Meta's apps, resetting at midnight.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
That’s one impression from the freakout now attending a repricing in global bond markets that’s resetting the global financial system to its pre-2008 level.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
When Twig started resetting the pieces for the third time, I suggested we actually write our lab reports.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
