rückgängig

Rückgängig is a German adjective and adverb describing something that can be undone or reverted to a previous state. In everyday language it denotes the possibility to cancel a change or return to an earlier condition. The term is commonly used with the verb machen, forming the construction rückgängig machen, meaning to undo, revert, or revoke a modification, decision, or action. It can also function predicatively, as in eine Änderung ist rückgängig, though the verbal form is far more common.

Etymology and usage context: Rückgängig combines the prefix rück- meaning back or again with gängig, an adjective meaning in operation or usable. The compound conveys reversibility or annulment and is widely attested in legal, administrative, technical, and colloquial German. In specialized contexts, it often appears in phrases indicating cancellation or restoration to an earlier state.

In computing and user interfaces, Rückgängig is the standard label for the undo command. Users typically trigger it to reverse the most recent action, with common keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (macOS). Beyond software, the term appears in contracts, policies, and administrative procedures to describe actions that restore prior conditions, such as undoing a decision or reversing a change.

Related terms include widerrufen (to revoke), rücknahme or Rückabwicklung (reversal or settlement), and other phrases denoting cancellation or annulment. The word emphasizes reversibility and is valued for its precision in both everyday and technical German.