: an act or instance of reproducing recorded sound or pictures often immediately after recording
played back; playing back; plays back
: 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
Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Producers and directors need to keep one eye on covering the action on the field, and another on identifying plays and scenes that can be used for highlights and playback.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
South Oak Cliff may also play back-to-back state champion Edna Karr from Louisiana, depending on how many nondistrict games SOC ends up with.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
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Noun
Officials said no video or playback subscription was available to confirm whether the detection was a person, or even an animal.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Producers and directors need to keep one eye on covering the action on the field, and another on identifying plays and scenes that can be used for highlights and playback.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
Cates also founded the Four Record Friday pop-up, a listening event where four vinyl records are played back to back at local venues before being given away.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
South Oak Cliff may also play back-to-back state champion Edna Karr from Louisiana, depending on how many nondistrict games SOC ends up with.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for playback
Cite this Entry
“Playback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playback. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
playback
1 of 2 noun
play·back
ˈplā-ˌbak 
: 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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