# reversing

/ɹiˈvɝsɪŋ/ (US) · /ɹɪvˈɜːsɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reversing
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. moving a vehicle backward

verb · CEFR B1

driving a car or other vehicle backward.

For teachers: operating a vehicle in a backward direction. Often used as a gerund or in continuous tenses.

- He is not very good at reversing into small parking spaces.
- Reversing a large trailer requires significant skill and a clear understanding of how the steering affects the pivot point.

### 2. changing a decision

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

changing a plan, law, or decision so that the opposite happens.

For teachers: overturning or annulling a previous decision, policy, or legal judgement.

- The government is reversing its policy on tax increases after the protests.
- By reversing the lower court's ruling, the Supreme Court established a significant precedent for future privacy cases.

### 3. an act of reversal

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the act of turning something around or making it go the other way.

For teachers: the action of reversing something or the state of being reversed.

- The sudden reversing of the trend surprised many economic experts.
- The reversing of roles within the family structure led to a period of adjustment for both the parents and the children.

## Examples

- The court is reversing its previous decision.
- After realizing he had missed his exit, the driver began reversing slowly down the shoulder of the road.
- The new administration is focused on reversing several long-standing environmental policies, arguing that the previous regulations were overly restrictive for small businesses.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.