reversible

reversible — adjective

1. describing something that can return to how it was before, with no lasting effec

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing something that can return to how it was before, with no lasting effects from a change or decision

Example

Chidi learned his liver damage was reversible through diet and exercise.

reversible damage with treatment

The city council withdrew the new law after discovering its effects were not easily reversible.

Common collocations
  • easily reversible
  • fully reversible
  • reversible damage
  • reversible condition
  • reversible decision
  • reversible by surgery
  • reversible through diet
Synonyms
  • changeable

    broader — can mean changing into something different, not necessarily back to the original

  • correctable

    suggests fixing errors rather than full restoration

  • temporary

    focuses on limited duration rather than ability to revert

Antonyms
  • irreversible

    cannot be undone or returned to an earlier state

  • permanent

    lasting indefinitely, not changeable

Grammar Patterns

reversible + noun

be + reversible

Usage Note

Common in medical, scientific, legal, and decision-making contexts. The opposite is irreversible.

Common Mistakes

The doctor said the damage was reversible, meaning it cannot be fixed.
The doctor said the damage was reversible, meaning it can be fixed.
'Reversible' means something CAN be undone or returned to its original state; it is the opposite of 'irreversible'.

2. made so that either side of the fabric can be worn on the outside, giving the we

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

made so that either side of the fabric can be worn on the outside, giving the wearer two different looks or uses from one piece of clothing

Example

Trang bought a reversible jacket that was black on one side and green on the other.

reversible + clothing item (jacket)

Kasia wore her reversible hoodie fleece-side out during her shift at the animal shelter.

Common collocations
  • reversible jacket
  • reversible coat
  • reversible hat
  • reversible dress
  • reversible on both sides
Synonyms
  • two-sided

    more general — used for any object with two useful sides, not just clothing

  • double-faced

    technical term in fabric and garment manufacturing

Grammar Patterns

reversible + noun (clothing item)

Usage Note

Most common with outerwear such as jackets, coats, and vests. The two sides often differ in colour, pattern, or material.

Common Mistakes

She bought a reversible watch that showed two different time zones.
She bought a reversible jacket that she could wear with either side out.
'Reversible' for clothing describes garments that can be worn inside out, not objects that switch functions.

reversible — noun

Word family

  • reverse
    verbB1
  • reverse
    adjectiveB2
  • reverse
    nounB2
  • reversal
    nounB2
  • irreversible
    adjectiveB2
  • reversibly
    adverbC1
  • irreversibly
    adverbC1
  • reversibility
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While reversible, changeable, correctable, and temporary all describe situations that are not permanent, they differ in important ways. Reversible specifically means that something can be returned to its exact original state — a medical condition that heals completely or a decision that can be fully undone. Changeable simply means something can become different, but not necessarily back to where it started — weather, moods, or prices are changeable but not always reversible. Correctable focuses on fixing errors or problems, often implying improvement rather than full restoration to an earlier state. Temporary refers to something that lasts for a limited time, but does not guarantee that the previous state can be restored afterwards — a temporary job ends but the worker does not return to their earlier role. For example, a skin rash that clears up with cream is reversible; the weather is changeable; a spelling mistake is correctable; a rental agreement is temporary.

reversible ↗changeablecorrectabletemporary ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • reversible with treatment
  • reversible within [time period]

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Reversible comes from Latin 'revertere' meaning 'to turn back', formed from 're-' (back) and 'vertere' (to turn). It entered English through French in the 1600s, first used to describe legal decisions that could be overturned. The clothing sense appeared in the 1800s.