rolling back

verb

present participle of roll back
as in abolishing
to put an end to by formal action lobbyists for the industry pressured the legislators to roll back the new automotive safety standards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rolling back Last fall, in its first move toward rolling back federal broadband initiatives, the FCC voted to remove at-home and school bus Wi-Fi access from the program, features that were added during the Biden administration. — Linda Jacobson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Eight states have enacted legislation this year rolling back data center tax subsidies, with 17 more considering similar measures, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, cited by Politico. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 But rolling back a climate law that isn’t the cause won’t fix it, and neither will a five-year reprieve for old power plants. — Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Tiffany is proposing freezing property taxes, rolling back other tax increases and increasing energy production. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026 But many advocates predict that could result in much lower quality services by rolling back oversight of programs and staff background checks. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 The most consequential move the administration has made is rolling back a suite of EPA rules that cracked down on air and water pollution from the plants. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 13 July 2026 Despite investor and business support, the SEC is controversially rolling back its 2024 rule for public companies to report material climate risks and emissions. — Mindy Lubber, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 The Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday rolling back longstanding limits on the amount of money political parties can spend in coordination with individual candidates is set to make political parties far more impactful in the 2026 midterms. — Will Lennon, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rolling back
  1. abolishing
  2. repealing
  3. canceling
  4. striking down
  5. avoiding
Verb
  • Debates over abolishing or scaling back the institution, which occasionally flare up in the United Kingdom and other nations, are rare in Norway.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • While his party debates abolishing prisons and owning grocery stores, Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie is cleaning up his city.
    — Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of abolishing
Verb
  • The Council earlier this month approved an ordinance repealing a July measure that directed the city manager to assess living conditions at the apartments and make emergency repairs.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That includes prohibiting the construction of AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods, reducing the impacts of data centers on local communities, and repealing sales tax exemptions and other incentives.
    — Jack Fink, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of repealing
Verb
  • No, fans weren’t punishing USC for canceling the Notre Dame series.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Between 2019 and 2021, for example, the president proposed canceling Roman (then called WFIRST) three separate times in three different budget requests.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of canceling
Verb
  • O’Connor ruled that historical firearm tradition supports striking down the rule, as mandated by recent Supreme Court precedent that asks courts to consider American history when determining the constitutionality of gun laws.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Lawyers for the families argue that the 5th Circuit – the most conservative appeals court in the country – flouted the Supreme Court’s 1980 decision striking down a Kentucky law that’s nearly identical to Texas’ requirement.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of striking down
Verb
  • Suggest a timeline, assign a task, or ask the question everyone keeps politely avoiding.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Officials annually emphasize boating safety, wearing life jackets and being aware of conditions, especially rip currents, and avoiding drinking alcoholic beverages when venturing out on the water.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of avoiding

Browse Nearby Words

rolling
rolling back
rolling out
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Cite this Entry

“Rolling back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rolling%20back. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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