Definition

1. Verb (intransitive):

   • To return to a previous state, condition, practice, or belief.
   • In law, to return property to a grantor or their heirs after a particular event or condition.
   • In biology, to undergo genetic reversion, returning to an ancestral type or earlier characteristic.

2. Verb (transitive, rare/archaic):

   • To turn something back or direct something back to a previous direction or state.

Usage and Examples

• Intransitive Verb (most common):

  • After the failed experiment, the system reverted to its default settings.
  • He promised to change his diet but soon reverted to his old eating habits.
  • The property will revert to the state if the land is not developed within ten years.

• Transitive Verb (rare):

  • The poet reverted his gaze to the distant mountains. (Archaic usage meaning "turned back")

Advanced Usage

• "revert to type": To return to one's inherent or original character, often after a period of pretending or trying to be different.

  • He tried to be polite for a while, but he soon reverted to type and started arguing.

• In computing/IT: To return a file, system, or code to a previous version or state.

  • If the update causes problems, you can revert to the earlier build.

• In formal correspondence: Used to mean "to reply" or "to respond," particularly in Indian English.

  • Please revert to me with your decision at your earliest convenience. (This usage is common in certain regions but is often considered non-standard in others.)

Variants and Related Words

• Reversion (noun): The act or process of reverting.
  • The reversion of the land to its original owners was a complex legal process.
• Reversible (adjective): Capable of being reversed or returned to an original state.
  • The damage to the ecosystem may not be reversible.

Synonyms

• Return: To go or come back to a place or condition.
• Regress: To return to a former or less developed state.
• Relapse: To fall back into a previous state, especially of illness or bad behavior.

Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions

• Revert back (often considered redundant, as "revert" implies "back," but commonly used for emphasis).
  • The software will revert back to the last saved version.
• Revert to (the standard preposition used with this verb).
  • When stressed, she tends to revert to speaking in her native language.

Related Idioms

• Revert to form: Similar to "revert to type," meaning to return to one's typical behavior or performance.
  • After a surprising loss, the champion team reverted to form and won the next five matches.

Verb

1. undergo reversion, as in a mutation
2. go back to a previous state
   • We reverted to the old rules