over·turn
ˌō-vər-ˈtərn 
overturned; overturning; overturns
1
: to cause to turn over : upset
overturned the vase
2
a
: invalidate, destroy
… the degree to which accident could overturn the schemes of wise men …—
Oscar Handlin
Oscar Handlin
b
: reverse sense 2a
overturn a court ruling
over·turn
ˈō-vər-ˌtərn
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
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
Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Drone footage showed catastrophic flooding that turned streets into rivers, submerged homes and overturned cars as Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in only 24 hours in some areas.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Ilana Arougheti
july 17, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025
It was enacted after the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overturn
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
However, many legal analysts believe the justices will not overturn the precedent, and some additional legal protections for same-sex married couples were passed into federal law in 2022.
—Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Drone footage showed catastrophic flooding that turned streets into rivers, submerged homes and overturned cars as Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in only 24 hours in some areas.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
Legislators are expected to vote Friday on a potential overturn of the veto.
—Ilana Arougheti
july 17, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025
It was enacted after the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overturn
Cite this Entry
“Overturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overturn. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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