Reboot means to restart a computer or electronic device, turning it off completely and then back on again. When your tablet freezes or your computer starts acting strangely, rebooting often fixes the problem. It's like giving the device a fresh start: all the programs stop running, the memory clears out, and everything loads up again from the beginning.

When you reboot, you're starting the boot process over again. Sometimes people say “turn it off and back on again” instead, which means the same thing.

Outside of technology, reboot has become a popular way to describe starting something over with a fresh approach. Movie studios reboot film series by creating new versions with different actors and updated stories. Someone might reboot their morning routine by trying a completely different schedule. A sports team might reboot its strategy after several losses. In these cases, reboot means wiping the slate clean and beginning again, making fundamental changes rather than small adjustments, just like a computer starting fresh after you press the restart button.