playback

1 of 2

noun

play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak How to pronounce playback (audio)
: an act or instance of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording

play back

2 of 2

verb

played back; playing back; plays back

transitive verb

: to perform a playback of (a usually recently recorded disc or tape)

Examples of playback in a Sentence

Noun The band listened to a playback of their first recording.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The simple industrial design gets a neat little accent in the form of a physical knob for adjusting playback, track navigation, and volume. — New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026 Both versions add Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, a microSD card slot, FLAC playback, and more. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
But players’ participation in a brawl following a close loss 670 miles away in Georgia last weekend has dashed their hopes of postseason play back at home. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 The rest of the quartet, including bassist Sam Wilson and fiddler Josiah Nelson, grab a seat behind Powell and let the tune play back once more. — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for playback

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of playback was in 1929

Rhymes for playback

See All Rhymes for playback

Browse Nearby Words

play a trick on (someone)
playback
play back
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Playback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playback. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

playback

1 of 2 noun
play·​back ˈplā-ˌbak How to pronounce playback (audio)
: the action of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording

play back

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)plā-ˈbak
: to perform a playback of (a disc or tape)
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