overturn

verb

over·turn | \ ˌō-vər-ˈtərn

overturned; overturning; overturns

Definition of overturn

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to cause to turn over : upset overturned the vase

2a : invalidate, destroy the degree to which accident could overturn the schemes of wise men— Oscar Handlin

b : reverse sense 2a overturn a court ruling

intransitive verb

: upset, turn over The car went off the road and overturned several times.

overturn

noun

over·turn | \ ˈō-vər-ˌtərn

Definition of overturn (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act of overturning : the state of being overturned

2 : the sinking of surface water and rise of bottom water in a lake or sea that results from changes in temperature that commonly occur in spring and fall

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about overturn

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for overturn

Synonyms: Verb

capsize, turn over, upset

Antonyms: Verb

right

Examples of overturn in a Sentence

Verb

The dog overturned the bowl. The truck went off the road and overturned several times. The court overturned his conviction.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Both amendments will take effect if there is still no government in Northern Ireland by October 21 of this year, and are subject to a future executive potentially overturning or amending the law. — Suyin Haynes, Time, "U.K. Lawmakers Just Voted to Back Same-Sex Marriage and Abortion Access in Northern Ireland," 9 July 2019 Can become this tsunami and has overturned established industries. — Eric Johnson, Vox, "Journalist Carole Cadwalladr has a question for tech workers: Are you okay with your bosses enabling “techno-fascism?”," 8 July 2019 At the same time, as flawed adjudications are overturned en masse, guilty students will be relieved of responsibility for their terrible misdeeds. — David French, National Review, "How the Obama Administration Harmed Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault," 8 July 2019 She was grounded for more than a year until doctors at the Mayo Clinic and a neutral doctor overturned the diagnosis. — Author: David Koenig And Tom Krisher, Anchorage Daily News, "Nominee to lead FAA faces questions about tenure at Delta," 6 July 2019 She was grounded for more than a year until doctors at the Mayo Clinic and a neutral doctor overturned the diagnosis. — CBS News, "Trump's nominee to lead FAA faces questions about Delta tenure," 6 July 2019 Studies of the Genesis Rock and the nearly 400 kilograms of other samples hauled back to Earth by the Apollo astronauts overturned our understanding of lunar history. — Simon J. Lock, Scientific American, "When Earth and the Moon Were One," 2 July 2019 In fact, skepticism of existing results is what drives research to refine and overturn existing paradigms. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Two tactics effectively limit the spread of science denialism," 27 June 2019 In March, Italy’s Justice Ministry ordered an inquiry into a court ruling that overturned a rape verdict in part because of an assertion the woman was too ugly to be a rape victim. — Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, "Experts explain why the 'too ugly to rape' argument doesn't hold up," 24 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. — Eugene Robinson, The Mercury News, "Robinson: Only an ignoramus would sound like Trump," 9 June 2019 Following the tragic overturn, Donald Trump offered his condolences to West Point in a tweet on Thursday morning. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "West Point Cadet Killed in Tragic Accident Identified as 22-Year-Old From New Jersey," 7 June 2019 How many more is hard to say for certain, but if the 9 percent pre-Roe figure referenced by Khazan begins to take shape after a possible future overturn of Roe, there would be (very roughly) 90,000 more babies in need of adoption per year. — Dan Hart, National Review, "In a Post-Abortion America, the Pro-Life Movement Must Prepare to Change Attitudes toward Adoption," 7 June 2019 The first is the overturn-without-overturning approach. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh likely gives the Supreme Court the votes to overturn Roe. Here’s how they’d do it.," 5 Oct. 2018 The first is the overturn-without-overturning approach. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh likely gives the Supreme Court the votes to overturn Roe. Here’s how they’d do it.," 5 Oct. 2018 The first is the overturn-without-overturning approach. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh likely gives the Supreme Court the votes to overturn Roe. Here’s how they’d do it.," 5 Oct. 2018 The first is the overturn-without-overturning approach. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh likely gives the Supreme Court the votes to overturn Roe. Here’s how they’d do it.," 5 Oct. 2018 The first is the overturn-without-overturning approach. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Brett Kavanaugh likely gives the Supreme Court the votes to overturn Roe. Here’s how they’d do it.," 5 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overturn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.