Meaning & use
reverse
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To turn something around so that it goes the other way or becomes the opposite of what it was.
Grammar: Takes an object: reverse the order; reverse a decision.
Patterns
- reverse something
- reverse the order of something
The coach reversed the order of the runners.
New medicine may reverse some of the damage to the heart.
The two sisters have reversed roles since their father fell ill.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To drive or move a vehicle backward.
Grammar: Takes an object when you move the vehicle (reverse the car); no object when you are driving it (reverse into the space).
Patterns
- reverse into something
- reverse out of something
She reversed the van carefully into the narrow driveway.
He reversed out of the garage without checking the mirror.
The truck reversed slowly toward the loading dock.
verbtransitiveformal
To cancel a decision, judgment or policy officially and replace it with the opposite.
Grammar: Takes an object and is common in law and politics: the court reversed the verdict.
Patterns
- reverse a decision
- reverse a ruling
The appeals court reversed the earlier verdict.
The board reversed its decision after public protest.
The new government plans to reverse the tax rise.
nounsingular
The exact opposite of something that has just been mentioned.
Grammar: Used with the: the reverse is true; quite the reverse.
Patterns
- the reverse of something
- quite the reverse
I expected a quiet evening, but the reverse happened.
Success is not a matter of luck; quite the reverse.
He thought she would be angry, but the reverse was true.
noununcountable
The gear that makes a vehicle go backward, or the back side of something such as a coin or a page.
Grammar: Used without a: put the car in reverse; the reverse of the coin.
Patterns
- in reverse
- on the reverse
Put the car in reverse and look over your shoulder.
The date is on the reverse of the coin.
Please sign on the reverse of the form.
Word forms
| third person singular | reverses |
|---|---|
| past tense | reversed |
| past participle | reversed |
| -ing form | reversing |
| plural | reverses |
Common combinations
- reverse a decision
- The council refused to reverse its decision.
- reverse the trend
- The campaign aims to reverse the trend of falling attendance.
- in reverse
- The film seems to run in reverse.
- reverse into a space
- I could not reverse into the tight parking space.
- quite the reverse
- She was not shy; quite the reverse.
- reverse the order
- Reverse the order of the first two steps.
Synonyms and how they differ
- overturn
- Overturn is used for decisions and rulings and suggests an authority canceling the earlier judgment.
- invert
- Invert means to turn upside down or switch places, and is more technical than reverse.
- back up
- Back up is an informal way to move a vehicle backward, while reverse also works in formal and technical writing.
- opposite
- Opposite is a noun or adjective for the thing that is as different as possible, while reverse as a noun is more formal and fixed.
Opposites
Word family
- reversal noun
- a change to the opposite direction or position, often unexpected
- reversible adjective
- able to be turned the other way or undone
- irreversible adjective
- impossible to change back
- reversely adverb
- in the opposite way; rare
- reversing noun
- the act of driving backward
Commonly confused: reverse or revert? reverse or reserve?
reverse vs revert
Revert means to go back to a former state or habit. Reverse means to change something to its opposite or move backward.
reverse vs reserve
Reserve means to keep or book something for later. Reverse means to turn around or go backward.
Practice
The high court decided to ___ the lower court's ruling.
Choose one answer.
To reverse a ruling is to cancel it and replace it with the opposite. Revert and retreat are intransitive, and reserve means to keep for later.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reverse”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.