top·sy-tur·vy
ˌtäp-sē-ˈtər-vē 
1
: in utter confusion or disorder
2
: with the top or head downward : upside down
: turned topsy-turvy : totally disordered
Examples of topsy-turvy in a Sentence
Adjective
the office is still topsy-turvy even though we moved in months ago
Recent Examples on the Web
Alina Selyukh, NPR, 18 Sep. 2025
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is set to unveil its latest decision on the level of interest rates, hoping to guide the economy through a topsy-turvy stretch of slow hiring and rising inflation.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
Observer writers predict Carolina Panthers season opener Fowler and Zietlow split last year’s predictor title, which was pretty incredible considering how topsy-turvy last year was and how differently their predictions went week to week.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Pinsker’s characters always make the best of tricky situations, which only makes their struggles in her topsy-turvy worlds more heartbreaking.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for topsy-turvy
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Adverb
Ranching in America can be a topsy-turvy, break-even or money-losing business, but not right now.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 18 Sep. 2025
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is set to unveil its latest decision on the level of interest rates, hoping to guide the economy through a topsy-turvy stretch of slow hiring and rising inflation.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This was a long, topsy-turvy affair, too.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
Observer writers predict Carolina Panthers season opener Fowler and Zietlow split last year’s predictor title, which was pretty incredible considering how topsy-turvy last year was and how differently their predictions went week to week.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Within that film’s topsy-turvy multiverse, Quan was by turns a laundromat owner on the verge of divorcing his wife, a dashing romantic lead and an action hero.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Pinsker’s characters always make the best of tricky situations, which only makes their struggles in her topsy-turvy worlds more heartbreaking.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for topsy-turvy
Cite this Entry
“Topsy-turvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topsy-turvy. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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