reboot

1 of 2

verb

re·​boot (ˌ)rē-ˈbüt How to pronounce reboot (audio)
rebooted; rebooting; reboots
1
a
transitive + intransitive : to shut down and restart (a computer or program)
… the annoyance of having to reboot the computer to switch operating systems …Robert Weston
If anything ever happens to the original drive, you can reboot using the cloned drive and be up and running in minutes.Dan Frakes
b
intransitive : to start up again after closing or shutting down : to boot up again
waiting for a computer/program to reboot
2
a
transitive : to start (something) anew : to refresh (something) by making a new start or creating a new version
It's probably not an overstatement to say Sandberg is embarking on the most ambitious mission to reboot feminism and reframe discussions of gender since the launch of Ms. magazine in 1971.Belinda Luscombe
reboot an old TV series
b
intransitive : to start anew : to make a fresh start
The interior designer's heart was telling her to reboot and downsize …Susan Heeger

reboot

2 of 2

noun

re·​boot ˈrē-ˌbüt How to pronounce reboot (audio)
plural reboots
1
: the act or an instance of shutting down and restarting something (such as a computer or program)
In a few cases, errors cause a headlong exit to DOS or the software ceases to operate, requiring a reboot.George F. Hepner
2
: the act or an instance of starting (something) anew or making a fresh start
In a massive reboot last fall, all 200 rooms were done up in geometric rugs and curvy leather headboards.Jen Murphy

Examples of reboot in a Sentence

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.
Verb
However, a smaller group of test-takers also faced a different issue: those who were instructed to reboot their systems during the verbal section of the exam. Scott White, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 Your computer won't even reboot if there's a blackout! Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
In addition to starring in several film and TV projects, including a 2015 reboot of Hawaii Five-O and the 2020 series Infectious, Calico expanded her creative horizons into music. Nicole Briese, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025 Peacock has dozens of original TV shows on Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus, including The Real Housewives of Miami, The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, Bel-Air, One of Us Is Lying and the Saved by the Bell reboot. Maya Gandara, StyleCaster, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reboot

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reboot was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Reboot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reboot. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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