Standard Lemma guide

rollback

noun · verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R OW1 L B AE2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A return to a prior state by undoing some operation, especially of policy or price changes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A return to a prior state by undoing some operation, especially of policy or price changes.

A withdrawal of military forces.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A return to a prior state by undoing some operation, especially of policy or price changes.

An operation which returns a database, or group of records in a database, to a previous state (normally to the previous commit point).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, databases, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: reversion, revert (sometimes synonymous)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reversion, revert

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The situation where a rollercoaster fails to reach the top of a hill and instead rolls backward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A form of flatbed truck adapted or designed specifically to carry other vehicles, for use in recovery (wrecking, salvage) or for transporting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, informal, uncountable

Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles

Examples

  • Near-synonym: tow truck (loosely often synonymous)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: slide truck, tow truck[Appendix:Glossary

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: truck, lorry, motor vehicle, vehicle

6

noun

Meaning 6

The strategy of forcing a change in the major policies of a state, usually by replacing its ruling regime, or by totally annihilating an enemy's armed forces and occupying the country, as was done in World War II to Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: political-science, social-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: regime change

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

An uncommanded reduction in the thrust of a jet engine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To return to the previous state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, databases, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • The server is unstable, we need to rollback the changes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To reduce thrust without having been commanded to do so.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

reducing prices back to some earlier level

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down

11

noun

Meaning 11

the act of forcing the enemy to withdraw

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: push back

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: offense, offence, offensive

History

Etymology

The noun is a deverbal from roll back. The verb is a back-formation from the noun despite being redundant to roll back.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 反轉 /反转 (fǎnzhuǎn) — return to a prior state
  • Finnish: paluu — return to a prior state
  • German: Rollback — return to a prior state
  • Italian: arretramento — return to a prior state
  • Italian: retrocessione — return to a prior state
  • Japanese: 巻き返し (makikaeshi) — return to a prior state
  • Russian: отка́т (otkát) — return to a prior state
  • Russian: отме́на (otména) — return to a prior state
  • Russian: возвраще́ние к про́йденной то́чке (vozvraščénije k prójdennoj tóčke) — return to a prior state
  • Spanish: reversión — return to a prior state
  • Chinese Mandarin: 撤退 (chètuì) — withdrawal of military forces
  • Finnish: vetäytyminen — withdrawal of military forces
  • French: retrait — withdrawal of military forces
  • German: Entzug — withdrawal of military forces
  • Italian: retromarcia — withdrawal of military forces
  • Italian: ritirata — withdrawal of military forces
  • Italian: arretramento — withdrawal of military forces
  • Japanese: 引き出し (hikidashi) — withdrawal of military forces
  • Russian: вы́вод (vývod) — withdrawal of military forces
  • Russian: отво́д (otvód) — withdrawal of military forces
  • Chinese Mandarin: 回滾 /回滚 (huígǔn) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Finnish: palautus aiempaan tilaan — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Finnish: palautus — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Finnish: peruutus — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • French: rollback — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • German: Rollback — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Japanese: ロールバック (rōrubakku) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Russian: отка́т (otkát) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Russian: возвра́т к нача́лу транза́кции (vozvrát k načálu tranzákcii) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Russian: роллбэ́к (rollbɛ́k) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point
  • Russian: ролбэ́к (rolbɛ́k) — (computing) operation to return the database to the previous commit point