ABA problem

noun

In multithreaded computing, a case in which a program erroneously considers the equality of a variable at two times to mean it has never changed in between.

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Meanings

nounABA problem (uncountable)
  1. uncountablecomputingIn multithreaded computing, a case in which a program erroneously considers the equality of a variable at two times to mean it has never changed in between.

    The ABA problem is a fundamental problem to many CAS-based nonblocking designs.

    2010, Damian Dechev, Peter Pirkelbauer, Bjarne Stroustrup, “Understanding and Effectively Preventing the ABA Problem in Descriptor-Based Lock-Free Designs”, in ISORC 2010 - 2010 13th IEEE International Symposium on Object/Component/Service-Oriented Real-Time Distributed Computing

Origin

ABA represents the change in value of a memory location from A to B and back to A.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ABA problem. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ABA%20problem

MLA

“ABA problem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ABA%20problem. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ABA problem,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ABA%20problem.

Source: ABA problem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.