reverse

[ ri-vurs ]

/ rɪˈvɜrs /

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See synonyms for: reverse / reversed / reversing on Thesaurus.com

adjective

opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or character: an impression reverse to what was intended; in reverse sequence.

with the back or rear part toward the observer: the reverse side of a fabric.

pertaining to or producing movement in a mechanism opposite to that made under ordinary running conditions: a reverse gear; a reverse turbine.

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

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

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

noun

the opposite or contrary of something.

the back or rear of anything.

Numismatics.

the side of a coin, medal, etc., that does not bear the principal design (opposed to obverse).
the side of an ancient coin that was struck by the upper die.

an adverse change of fortune; a misfortune, check, or defeat: to meet with an unexpected reverse.

Machinery.

the condition of being reversed: to throw an engine into reverse.
a reversing mechanism.

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.

Bridge. reverse bid.

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

verb (used with object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

to turn in an opposite position; transpose: The printer accidently reversed two chapters of the book.

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

to turn inside out or upside down.

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

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

to revoke or annul (a decree, judgment, etc.): to reverse a verdict.

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

to turn in the opposite order: to reverse the process of evolution.

Printing. to print as a reverse.

verb (used without object), re·versed, re·vers·ing.

to shift into reverse gear: The driver drove forward, then reversed.

(of a mechanism) to be reversed.

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

Bridge. to make a reverse bid.

OTHER WORDS FOR reverse

1 converse.

7 converse, counterpart.

10 mishap, misadventure, affliction.

20 repeal, veto, countermand, rescind, overthrow.

See synonyms for reverse on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR reverse

1 same.

See antonyms for reverse on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of reverse

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English revers<Old French <Latin reversus, past participle of revertere to revert (see verse); (v.) Middle English reversen<Old French reverser<Late Latin reversāre, frequentative of revertere

synonym study for reverse

1. See opposite. 15, 17. 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 WORDS FROM reverse

re·vers·ed·ly

[ri-vur-sid-lee, -vurst-lee], /rɪˈvɜr sɪd li, -ˈvɜrst li/, adverbre·verse·ly, adverbre·vers·er, nounhalf-re·versed, adjective

non·re·verse, adjective, nounnon·re·versed, adjectivenon·re·vers·ing, adjectivepre·re·verse, noun, verb (used with object), pre·re·versed, pre·re·vers·ing.un·re·versed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reverse

converse, inverse, obverse, reverse

Words nearby reverse

revers, reversal, reversal film, reversal plate, reversal process, reverse, reverse angle shot, reverse annuity mortgage, reverse Apartheid, reverse bar, reverse bevel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reverse in a sentence

There’s a long-running debate about whether the reverse—cold acclimatization—also occurs.
How Your Body Does (and Doesn't) Adapt to Cold|Alex Hutchinson|February 10, 2021|Outside Online
Global coronavirus deaths have been falling—but scientists are worried that new variants of the virus may reverse those trends.
Why don’t we have an ideal mask yet?|Katherine Ellen Foley|February 6, 2021|Quartz
While the Mavericks are hardly in crisis given Doncic’s youth and supreme talent, they will be forced to ponder some existential questions if they can’t reverse their negative momentum.
How Luka Doncic’s Mavericks lost their joyful swagger and how they can get it back|Ben Golliver|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
Frustration over vaccinations comes as the Washington region’s average for new infections has been dropping, reversing a post-holiday surge that led to record highs in cases and virus-related deaths last month.
Maryland Democrats call for ‘course correction’ amid regionwide frustration over vaccine rollout|Erin Cox, Rebecca Tan, Antonio Olivo|February 3, 2021|Washington Post

Comcast on Wednesday said it would suspend its new fees on heavy home Internet users in more than a dozen Northeastern states, reversing course on a policy that threatened higher bills for some families amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Comcast suspends Internet data limits, fees for Northeast customers|Tony Romm|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
But Republican and Democratic parties have made efforts to reverse that trend.
Asian-Americans Are The New Florida|Tim Mak|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So now the company is asking the FCC to, in effect, reverse itself.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My trip takes the reverse path, and I begin by assessing the depth of my Shakespeare knowledge in his birthplace.
Biking With the Bard|Kara Cutruzzula|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ditto Virginia, but in reverse; culturally, northern Virginia is Yankee land (but with gun shops).
Dems, It’s Time to Dump Dixie|Michael Tomasky|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Europeans seem to find them exotic, an odd case of culture-envy in reverse.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When, however, you learn by rote you know the task as you learned it, and not in the reverse way.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
As before suggested, let the pupil recite the foregoing ten events forwards and the reverse way several times from memory.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
The backs are mostly cut the reverse way of the grain to the present rule, forming what are now termed "slab" backs.
Violins and Violin Makers|Joseph Pearce
But for the assurance of his senses he could have believed they headed towards these yellow cliffs instead of the reverse.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
The tunnel itself includes a reverse curve, and, at the present time, railroad tracks and Stock Creek waters run through it.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

reverse

/ (rɪˈvɜːs) /

verb (mainly tr)

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

to change into something different or contrary; alter completelyreverse one's policy

(also intr) to move or cause to move backwards or in an opposite directionto reverse a car

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

to turn inside out

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

(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

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

reverse the charge or reverse the charges to make a telephone call at the recipient's expense

noun

the opposite or contrary of something

the back or rear side of something

a change to an opposite position, state, or direction

a change for the worse; setback or defeat

the mechanism or gears by which machinery, a vehicle, etc, can be made to reverse its direction
(as modifier)reverse gear

the side of a coin bearing a secondary designCompare obverse (def. 5)

printed matter in which normally black or coloured areas, esp lettering, appear white, and vice versa
(as modifier)reverse plates

in reverse in an opposite or backward direction

the reverse of emphatically not; not at allhe was the reverse of polite when I called

adjective

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

back to front; inverted

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

denoting or relating to a mirror image

Derived forms of reverse

reversely, adverbreverser, noun

Word Origin for reverse

C14: from Old French, from Latin reversus, from revertere to turn back

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

reverse

OTHER WORDS FOR reverse

OPPOSITES FOR reverse

Origin of reverse

synonym study for reverse

OTHER WORDS FROM reverse

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reverse

Words nearby reverse

Words related to reverse

How to use reverse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

Derived forms of reverse

Word Origin for reverse