revert

American  

[ri-vurt] / rɪˈvɜrt /

verb (used without object)

1. to return to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, etc..

   It wasn't so much that things had never changed, it was that people had reverted instead of moving forward.

   Synonyms:

   retrogress

2. Law. (of assets) to go back to or return to the former owner or to their heirs.

   After a certain number of years, ownership of the bridge reverts to the public.

3. Biology. to return to an earlier or primitive type.

   Synonyms:

   retrogress

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verb (used with object)

1. to undo or roll back.

   The new version is a mess, but we should be able to revert the edits.

noun

1. an act or instance of returning to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, etc.; reversion.

   Now we are seeing a revert to a simpler writing style that grabs our attention instantly.

2. a person or thing that goes back to a previous state or condition, especially a previous religion (often used attributively).

   We offer a course for revert Muslims.

   She was a revert who left the church and came back a decade later.

3. Law. a reversion.

verb phrase

1. revert to

   1. to return or go back to a previous state or condition.

      After that, I stopped riding the bus and reverted to my old car-driving ways.

   2. to go back in thought or discussion.

      He constantly reverted to stories from his childhood.

revert British  

verb

1. to go back to a former practice, condition, belief, etc

   she reverted to her old wicked ways

2. to take up again or come back to a former topic

3. biology (of individuals, organs, etc) to return to a more primitive, earlier, or simpler condition or type

4. to reply to someone

   we will revert to you with pricing and other details

5. property law (of an estate or interest in land) to return to its former owner or his heirs when a grant, esp a grant for the lifetime of the grantee, comes to an end

6. to resume characteristics that were thought to have disappeared

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noun

1. a person who, having been converted, has returned to his former beliefs or Church

Usage

Since back is part of the meaning of revert , one should not say that someone reverts back to a certain type of behaviour

Other Word Forms

• nonrevertible adjective
• nonrevertive adjective
• reverter noun
• revertibility noun
• revertible adjective
• revertive adjective
• revertively adverb
• unreverted adjective
• unrevertible adjective
• unreverting adjective

Etymology

Origin of revert

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English reverten, from Old French revertir, Anglo-French reverter, from Latin revertere “to turn back,” from re- re- + vertere “to turn” ( verse )

Example Sentences

“I also wouldn’t be surprised if energy stocks don’t fully revert to where they were before,” Pride said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

He is contracted with Northern Ireland until 2028, and when asked about his future beyond the summer, he said he will "revert back to the status quo".

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

When the rights to “Sinners” revert to him in 2050, its 16 Academy Award nominations may still be second to none, a master class in how to triumph in defeat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Dawson cited a commercial real estate firm that tried to have its AI agent covered as a regular employee but had to revert to a special policy.

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

Parsons did, indeed, invariably revert to shorts when a community hike or any other physical activity gave him an excuse for doing so.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Related Words

• degenerate
• go back
• hark back
• react
• regress
• turn back