roll back — reverse or reduce (a policy, law, or change)
to officially reduce, weaken, or reverse the effect of a rule, law, policy, or change, especially after it has already been put in place
Say it like a native
Textbook The administration intends to rescind the environmental regulations.
Native The government wants to roll back the environmental rules.
'Roll back' is the natural news verb for reversing a policy; 'rescind regulations' is legalistic.
Pattern: roll back something | roll something back
In use
- The government decided to roll back the new tax after widespread protests.work
- If the authorities roll back environmental regulations, it could have serious consequences for public health.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ They rolled back on the new rules.
✓ They rolled back the new rules.
'Roll back' takes the object directly — no 'on'. (To break a promise, use 'go back on'.)
Common collocations
roll back + policy— the rules, regulations, rights, the changes
Don't confuse it
At B1/B2, 'roll back' may be understood literally (e.g., to move something backwards by rolling it). This sense is figurative and refers to reversing or reducing the impact of a policy, rule, or change.