Provided herein are compositions and methods for preventing or reversing T cell exhaustion. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of preventing or reversing T cell exhaustion by exposing T cells experiencing T cell exhaustion to particular tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g., dasatinib, ponatinib), or by expanding genetically engineered T cells in the presence of particular tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g., dasatinib, ponatinib).