turnabout

noun turn·about \ ˈtərn-ə-ˌbau̇t \

Definition of turnabout

1 a :a change or reversal of direction, trend, policy, role, or character

b :a changing from one allegiance to another

c :turncoat, renegade

d :an act or instance of retaliating

turnabout is fair play

2 :merry-go-round

See turnabout defined for English-language learners

See turnabout defined for kids

Examples of turnabout in a Sentence

employees regarded the latest turnabout as a sure sign that management hadn't a clue as to what it was doing

Recent Examples of turnabout from the Web

The announcement marks a turnabout for Trump, who as a private citizen once advocated for full U.S. withdrawal.

— nora kelly, The Atlantic, "Full Transcript: Donald Trump Announces His Afghanistan Policy," 21 Aug. 2017
In California, the insurer’s decision marks a significant turnabout.

— pauline bartolone and anna gorman and chad terhune kaiser health news, sacbee, "Anthem’s retreat leaves Californians with fewer choices, more worries," 4 Aug. 2017
In California, the insurer’s decision marks a significant turnabout.

— pauline bartolone and anna gorman and chad terhune kaiser health news, sacbee, "Anthem’s retreat leaves Californians with fewer choices, more worries," 4 Aug. 2017
In California, the insurer’s decision marks a significant turnabout.

— anna gorman, Kaiser Health News, "Anthem’s Retreat Leaves Californians With Fewer Choices, More Worries," 2 Aug. 2017
Crowley disputes that his appeal to Trump prompted the FDA’s turnabout on Galafold.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "FDA abruptly drops request for more drug data after maker’s CEO meets Trump," 12 July 2017
The move is only a procedural step forward but a symbolic turnabout for a fight that the 800 residents of King Cove have been waging for decades.

— erica martinson, Alaska Dispatch News, "Interior Department advances effort to permit the King Cove road," 29 June 2017
Negative publicity has spurred other Facebook turnabouts as well.

— julia angwin, propublica, and hannes grassegger, Ars Technica, "Facebook’s secret rules mean that it’s OK to be anti-Islam, but not anti-gay," 28 June 2017
The lawsuit is a striking turnabout for the DEQ, the agency that investigations have shown was largely to blame for the city's disastrous switch away from Detroit water to the Flint River as a temporary drinking source in April 2014.

— paul egan, Detroit Free Press, "State sues Flint over delays in approving drinking water source," 28 June 2017

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

First Known Use of turnabout

1789

turnabout Synonyms

Synonyms

about-turn [British], flip-flop, reversal, about–face, turnaround, U-turn, volte-face

TURNABOUT Defined for Kids

turnabout

noun turn·about \ ˈtərn-ə-ˌbau̇t \

Definition of turnabout for Students

:a change from one direction or one way of thinking or acting to the opposite

In a complete turnabout, he admitted that he had lied.

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