turnaround

1 of 2

noun

turn·​around ˈtərn-ə-ˌrau̇nd 

1

a

: the action of receiving, processing, and returning something

24-hour turnaround time on most orders

b

: the process of readying a transport vehicle for departure after its arrival

also : the time spent in this process

a quick turnaround between flights

2

a

: turnabout sense 1a

a corporate turnaround

b

: turnabout sense 1b

3

: a space permitting the turning around of a vehicle

4

: a jump shot by a player facing away from the basket who turns toward the basket while shooting

—often used attributively

a turnaround jumper

turn around

2 of 2

verb

turned around; turning around; turns around

intransitive verb

1

: to become changed for the better

2

: to act in an abrupt, different, or surprising manner

—used with and

after three years he just turned around and left school

transitive verb

: to change for the better

turned her life around

Synonyms

Noun

• about-face
• about-turn [British]
• flip-flop
• reversal
• turnabout
• U-turn
• volte-face

Examples of turnaround in a Sentence

Noun

The turnaround for most orders is 24 hours.

There is a 24-hour turnaround time on most orders.

a quick turnaround between flights

The team needs a big turnaround after their loss last week.

The company has achieved a remarkable turnaround in the past year.

The latest news has caused a turnaround in public opinion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Income outpacing spending Personal income rose slightly faster than spending in April – a welcome turnaround after spending outpaced income growth in six of the seven previous months. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 1 June 2024

Foot Locker saw a 30% jump in stock during its Q1 earnings report on Thursday thanks to an effective turnaround plan put in place by CEO Mary Dillon. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 May 2024

Verb

Facing a 1-2 count in a tie game, Frazier turned around on a 96 mph fastball, yanking it into the right-field bleachers in the second inning. —Kevin Flaherty, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2024

Travelers who aren’t interested in visiting the park can either turn around at Beartooth Pass Summit, which sits at 10,947 feet above sea level or continue over the pass to the towns of Cooke City or Silver Gate, Montana. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1888, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

turnaround

1 of 2 noun

turn·​around ˈtər-nə-ˌrau̇nd 

1

: turnabout

2

: the time needed for one complete cycle or round trip from start to destination and back

turn around

2 of 2 verb

1

: to act in a sudden, different, or surprising manner

he just turned around and left home

2

: to change for the better

turned her life around