1
: a turn resembling the letter U
especially
: a 180-degree turn made by a vehicle in a road
2
: something (such as a reversal of policy) resembling a U-turn
Synonyms
Examples of U-turn in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
An international Delta flight recently made a U-turn due to a passenger’s severe case of diarrhea, which was deemed a 'biohazard'
A Delta flight from Atlanta to Barcelona made national news after it was diverted due to a passenger's case of severe diarrhea last Friday.
—
Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023
The move comes at a time when prices typically decline going into fall and is a U-turn after a relatively cheap summer for drivers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2023
The deputy began a pursuit that continued into Madison County before the vehicle executed a U-turn in New Hope and re-entered Marshall County.
—William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2023
Musk’s parents have both intervened on his behalf, hoping to stop the fight
Musk’s support for a noble debate with Zuckerberg marks a sharp U-turn from his previous enthusiasm for the pair to trade physical blows.
—Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023
Others, in fits of frustration, flip U-turns, sometimes in the path of logging trucks and other oncoming traffic.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2023
Another call alerted police that the car had made a U-turn, traveled south on Wicker Avenue, struck a vehicle and later hit a concrete barrier behind McDonald’s.
—Staff Report, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2023
Turkey’s central bank hiked its key interest rate by a surprisingly large 7.5 percentage points to 25% Thursday, signaling a new determination to address rebounding inflation as part of a broader policy U-turn.
—Reuters, CNN, 24 Aug. 2023
Read full article State Police said in April that Herzig died after a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee with two people inside pulled over on Route 2 near the Deerfield River for a U-turn, then pulled out as Herzig’s 2005 Harley Davidson approached and then struck the SUV.
—Maeve Lawler, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2023
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Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023
The move comes at a time when prices typically decline going into fall and is a U-turn after a relatively cheap summer for drivers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2023
The deputy began a pursuit that continued into Madison County before the vehicle executed a U-turn in New Hope and re-entered Marshall County.
—William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2023
Musk’s parents have both intervened on his behalf, hoping to stop the fight
Musk’s support for a noble debate with Zuckerberg marks a sharp U-turn from his previous enthusiasm for the pair to trade physical blows.
—Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023
Others, in fits of frustration, flip U-turns, sometimes in the path of logging trucks and other oncoming traffic.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2023
Another call alerted police that the car had made a U-turn, traveled south on Wicker Avenue, struck a vehicle and later hit a concrete barrier behind McDonald’s.
—Staff Report, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2023
Turkey’s central bank hiked its key interest rate by a surprisingly large 7.5 percentage points to 25% Thursday, signaling a new determination to address rebounding inflation as part of a broader policy U-turn.
—Reuters, CNN, 24 Aug. 2023
Read full article State Police said in April that Herzig died after a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee with two people inside pulled over on Route 2 near the Deerfield River for a U-turn, then pulled out as Herzig’s 2005 Harley Davidson approached and then struck the SUV.
—Maeve Lawler, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'U-turn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near U-turn
Cite this Entry
“U-turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/U-turn. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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