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
Synonyms
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 WebMichael Schulman, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2024
An initial trial in January 2023 ended in a mistrial while a second trial ended in a loss for the couple that was overturned last year due to a change in the law.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2024
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2024
Such accidents include roadway crashes and incidents such as tractor overturns.
—Austin L. Miller, USA TODAY, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overturn 
Verb
Now that the veto power has been overturned, what is that going to mean going forward?
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2024
An initial trial in January 2023 ended in a mistrial while a second trial ended in a loss for the couple that was overturned last year due to a change in the law.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2024
Noun
In February 2023, a Chicago judge denied a request from Kelly’s attorneys seeking either an overturn of the conviction or a new trial on the Chicago federal charges.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2024
Such accidents include roadway crashes and incidents such as tractor overturns.
—Austin L. Miller, USA TODAY, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for overturn
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overturn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overturn
Cite this Entry
“Overturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overturn. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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