reverse
gb/ɹɪvˈɚs/ us/ɹɪvˈɚs/
A2
English
~ 3900
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Change to the opposite
To make something go or be the opposite of what it was.
Usage pattern:
to reverse [a decision/order/trend]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'reverse' with 'revert'. 'Reverse' means to change to the opposite, while 'revert' means to go back to an earlier state.
Synonyms
undo (Stresses canceling or negating a previous action, often less formal.)
|
overturn (Often used for official or legal decisions being changed.)
Antonyms
maintain (To keep something the same instead of changing it.)
|
continue (To let something go on in the same way rather than changing it.)
Collocations
reverse a decision
|reverse a trend
|reverse the order
|reverse policy
Themes
daily life
|business
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company reversed its decision after receiving public criticism.
- She quickly reversed her opinion when she learned the full story.
- The court reversed the earlier ruling.
Learner examples
- The shop reversed its rule about returns.
- He reversed his answer after hearing new facts.
- They reversed the plan to build a new road.
Verb
A2
action
2
Move backward
To move back instead of forward.
Usage pattern:
to reverse [a car/vehicle]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit an object when needed: 'He reversed' (OK if context is clear) vs. 'He reversed the car' (more specific).
Synonyms
back up (Informal and common in everyday speech, especially for vehicles.)
Antonyms
advance (To move forward.)
Collocations
reverse a car
|reverse into a space
|reverse out of
Themes
daily life
|transport
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- He reversed the car out of the driveway.
- She reversed slowly into the parking space.
- The truck reversed down the narrow street.
Learner examples
- I reversed the car out of the garage.
- She reversed into the small space.
- The bus reversed slowly.
Noun
B1
relation
3
Opposite direction or order
The way that is completely opposite from another way.
Synonyms
opposite (A general term for something completely different in direction or meaning.)
Antonyms
same (Not different in direction or order.)
Collocations
the reverse is true
|in reverse order
|the reverse side
Themes
daily life
|space
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The reverse of this coin shows a famous building.
- She told the story in reverse order.
- It’s funny—you think I’m helping you, but the reverse is true.
Learner examples
- The reverse of the paper is blank.
- He did the steps in reverse order.
- The reverse is also true.
Noun
technical
A2
entity
4
Vehicle gear for moving backward
The gear in a car that makes it go back.
Synonyms
back gear (Less common, more informal technical usage.)
Antonyms
first gear (The lowest forward gear in a vehicle.)
Collocations
put into reverse
|in reverse gear
Themes
transport
|transportation
|technology
|daily_life
Examples
- He put the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway.
- The truck was stuck in reverse.
- She accidentally shifted into reverse while driving forward.
Learner examples
- I put the car into reverse.
- The bus was in reverse.
- He drove in reverse.
Verb
A2
action
5
Turn front to back or inside out
To turn something over so the other side is showing.
Usage pattern:
to reverse [a shirt/paper/direction]
Synonyms
flip (Informal; usually quicker movement than 'reverse'.)
Antonyms
retain position (To keep something in the same orientation.)
Collocations
reverse the direction
|reverse sides
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Reverse the paper before putting it back in the printer.
- She reversed her shirt because it was inside out.
- Reverse the direction of the fan for winter use.
Learner examples
- I reversed the paper and printed again.
- He reversed his hat to wear it backward.
- Reverse the chair to face me.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reverse
IPA
GB/ɹɪvˈɚs/
US/ɹɪvˈɚs/
Syllables & stress
re - verse (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (verse)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reverse
- Plural: reverse, reverses
Verb
- Base: reverse
- 3rd Person Singular: reverses
- Present Participle: reversing
- Past: reversed
Word family
Forms
reverses
noun
reversing
verb
reversed
verb
Core family
reversible
adjective
reversal
noun B2
Related words
reversibly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
irreversible
adjective
irreversibly
adverb
Advanced or less common
reversibility
noun
irreversibility
noun
Expressions
in reverse
1/ˈɪn ɹɪvˈɚs/
fixed phrase
In a backward way or order
Moving backwards, or doing things in the opposite order.
Examples
- The video played in reverse, making everyone laugh.
- She explained the process in reverse so we could understand how it worked.
reverse engineer
1/ɹɪvˈɚs ˈɛnd͡ʒənˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
technical
Analyze design by dismantling product
To take apart a product to learn how it works and how to make it again.
Examples
- The team reverse engineered the device to create their own version.
- They tried to reverse engineer the software to find its security flaws.
- Hackers tried to reverse engineer the software code.
- The company reverse engineered a competitor’s device to create their own version.
reverse psychology
1/ɹɪvˈɚs saɪkˈɑləd͡ʒi/
fixed phrase
Get result by suggesting opposite desire
A way of making someone do what you want by telling them to do the opposite.
Examples
- She used reverse psychology to get her son to clean his room.
- Reverse psychology can be effective with stubborn people.
- Reverse psychology can be risky if the person realizes what you are doing.