turnabout

noun

turn·​about ˈtərn-ə-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce turnabout (audio)
1
a
: a change or reversal of direction, trend, policy, role, or character
b
: a changing from one allegiance to another
d
: an act or instance of retaliating
turnabout is fair play
2

Examples of turnabout in a Sentence

employees regarded the latest turnabout as a sure sign that management hadn't a clue as to what it was doing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The lawsuit reflects a stark philosophical turnabout from the position on gender identity issues taken during Democratic administrations. Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025 Loading your audio article OAKLAND — Less than a year after Alameda County agreed to his release from prison in an abrupt turnabout, a local resident has been charged with nine felonies in connection with a recent shooting. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 Apr. 2025 That's a turnabout from 2022, as developers took advantage of falling equipment costs and, at least in some areas, alternatives to lengthy grid-connection queues. Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025 The meetings represent a remarkable turnabout for Prince Mohammed, the oil-rich Gulf kingdom’s de facto leader who was shunned for a time in diplomatic circles. Ephrat Livni, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for turnabout

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of turnabout was in 1710

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turnabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turnabout. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

turnabout

noun
turn·​about ˈtər-nə-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce turnabout (audio)
: a change from one direction or one way of thinking or acting to the opposite

More from Merriam-Webster on turnabout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!