: 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
ArsTechnica, 13 June 2025
For stereo playback, Sony's XM6 provides a warmer overall sound signature that still takes care with the higher frequencies, allowing for more intimacy, breadth, and instrumental textures that burst through the mix.
—Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 10 June 2025
Jon Arnold, New York Times, 15 June 2025
Spanning genres and subject matters, the album plays back to front as a raunchy, raucous ride through Firstman’s unique comedy lens.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
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Noun
The player includes a list of sources from which the overview is built, as well as the option to speed up or slow down playback.
—Verb
As Peter Gonzalez took possession from a throw-in, a fan in the stands tossed the ball that had gone out of play back on the field.
—Cite this Entry
“Playback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playback. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Kids 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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