about-face
noun
1
: a 180° turn to the right from the position of attention
2
: a reversal of direction
3
: a reversal of attitude, behavior, or point of view
about-face
intransitive verb
Examples of about-face in a Sentence
the candidate's frequent about-faces on issues disturbs many voters
Recent Examples on the Web
Acuña’s offensive about-face, in particular, could make the daily lineup decisions intriguing for Carlos Mendoza at the keystone.
—
Tim Britton, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Completely abandoning China would be a huge about-face for Starbucks, which entered the mainland market in 1999 with huge ambitions.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
But Zuckerberg has since made somewhat of a political about-face.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
The attorney general’s about-face prompted several South Florida lawyers with decades of trial experience to question whether Uthmeier was running the risk of violating the judge’s order in a possible showing of contempt of court.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for about-face
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.
Tim Britton, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Completely abandoning China would be a huge about-face for Starbucks, which entered the mainland market in 1999 with huge ambitions.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
But Zuckerberg has since made somewhat of a political about-face.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
The attorney general’s about-face prompted several South Florida lawyers with decades of trial experience to question whether Uthmeier was running the risk of violating the judge’s order in a possible showing of contempt of court.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for about-face
Cite this Entry
“About-face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/about-face. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share