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

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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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

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

How to use reverse in a sentence

Amid a reckoning of racism has come a financial one, aimed at reversing decades of underinvestment in communities of color.
Morgan State University, Northern Virginia Community College receive grants for job training programs|Lauren Lumpkin|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Effects of Earth’s magnetic field — Science News, November 21, 1970Earth’s magnetic field has frequently reversed at intervals of 1 million to 100 million years.
50 years ago, scientists named Earth’s magnetic field as a suspect in extinctions|Jonathan Lambert|November 19, 2020|Science News
No one would even blink at that age difference if the genders were reversed.
Carolyn Hax: The 10-year plan is his brainchild. Her 5-year plan is a child child.|Carolyn Hax|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
It reverses completely the way the designers perform the function thanks to the artificial intelligence.
Leveraging collective intelligence and AI to benefit society|Jason Sparapani|November 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review

One could actually consider it a reverse subscription, since people receive rewards for their patronage.
How to succeed in the subscriptions business|rhhackettfortune|November 18, 2020|Fortune
Although there have been versions recorded where the roles are reversed.
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Facing a political backlash, they reversed course in 2011 and announced that the military commission process would be restarted.
Prosecutors Have No Idea When 9/11 Mastermind’s Trial Will Start|Tim Mak|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The series also reversed a long trend that saw the character paralyzed by the Joker and confined to a wheelchair for a decade.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fortunes reversed and what was far-fetched yesterday was suddenly closer to fact.
Wrongly Imprisoned for 15 Years Thanks to an Innocence Project|Jacob Siegel|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2013, however, Paul released another budget proposal that reversed course.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: October 26|PunditFact.com|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now if we double the last 16, it gives us the date of the second Folio in 32 and 32 reversed gives us the date of the first Folio.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Pete, after spewing the last hateful molecule away, reversed his tiny fibre engines, and began to draw in.
Old Friends Are the Best|Jack Sharkey
After the ice passed away the movements were reversed, the northern region rising and the southern sinking down.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler
Blood must always tell in England—although in America—if Mrs. Hofer is a type—well, this is the land of reversed theories.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Death was what the Marquise expected, since she knew that death would she herself have pronounced had the positions been reversed.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

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 related to reverse

How to use reverse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reverse

Derived forms of reverse

Word Origin for reverse