turnaround

noun turn·around \ -ˌrau̇nd \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of turnaround

1 a : the action of receiving, processing, and returning something

24-hour turnaround time on most orders

b : the process of readying a transport vehicle for departure after its arrival; also : the time spent in this process

a quick turnaround between flights

2 a : turnabout 1a

a corporate turnaround

b : turnabout 1b

3 : a space permitting the turning around of a vehicle

4 : a jump shot by a player facing away from the basket who turns toward the basket while shooting —often used attributively

a turnaround jumper

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Examples of turnaround in a Sentence

The turnaround for most orders is 24 hours.
There is a 24-hour turnaround time on most orders.
a quick turnaround between flights
The team needs a big turnaround after their loss last week.
The company has achieved a remarkable turnaround in the past year.
The latest news has caused a turnaround in public opinion.

Recent Examples of turnaround from the Web

What Gus Malzahn said after Auburn's win over Arkansas The third-down turnaround on offense was a key for Auburn's bounceback effort, but the defense was even more dominant on third downs against the Razorbacks.

— tom green, AL.com, "Auburn gets 'edge back' with 3rd-down success on both sides of ball against Arkansas," 23 Oct. 2017
Twenty-four hours later, the Republican budget passed in a tense and historic turnaround.

— dan haar, courant.com, "Dan Haar: MGM Bridgeport Casino Solves A Lot Of Problems," 19 Sep. 2017
Jeremy’s turnaround story helped redirect his life in more ways than golf.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Champion blind golfer, dad have forged a bond on the links," 27 Oct. 2017
Microsoft’s market cap has increased more than $250 billion in the past 31/2 years, thanks to a turnaround led by Satya Nadella, its CEO.

— randall stross, WSJ, "The Four Horsemen of Big Tech," 29 Sep. 2017
Cosco Shipping wants to be No. 1. Can a legendary railroad exec work another turnaround at CSX?

— Bloomberg.com, "1 Advanced Micro Devices Inc.," 31 Oct. 2017
Trevor Mann, chief operating officer at Mitsubishi Motors, discusses his new EV concept vehicle, the company's turnaround plan and his outlook for the Japanese automobile industry.

— Bloomberg, "Mitsubishi's COO Says on Path for Growth, Sustainability," 25 Oct. 2017
On the other, Merkel’s party had a historically weak share of the vote (33 percent), while the FDP saw a remarkable turnaround (with 10.7 percent).

— Washington Post, "Germany’s economy is too strong. What will the new government do?," 24 Oct. 2017
Originally an incentive to help with the company’s turnaround, the payoff has been triggered by a climb in Sprint’s stock.

— mark davis, kansascity, "Sprint and T-Mobile merger timetable delayed, report says," 19 Oct. 2017

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

First Known Use of turnaround

1926

turnaround Synonyms

Synonyms

about-face, flip-flop, reversal, turnabout, U-turn;

Related Words

bait and switch, switcheroo;

denial, disaffirmance, disavowal, disownment, recantation, renunciation, repudiation, retraction;

reconsideration, retreat, second thought;

hesitation, indecision, irresolution, shilly-shallying, vacillation, wavering, wobbling (also wabbling);

Phrases

change of heart;

turn around

verb

Definition of turn around

intransitive verb

1 : to become changed for the better

2 : to act in an abrupt, different, or surprising manner —used with and

after three years he just turned around and left school

transitive verb

: to change for the better

turned her life around

See turn around defined for kids

Recent Examples of turn around from the Web

Britain into conceding things that America can then turn around and demand from the EU, citing the British precedent.

— The Economist, "The promised post-Brexit trade deal with America may never materialise," 5 Apr. 2018
In heavy conditions the ship turns around and powers through seven feet of ice, steered from a second wheelhouse at the stern.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "Does the U.S. Stand a Chance Against Russia's Icebreakers?," 4 Apr. 2018
Finau then sprinted toward the hole and after turning around to run backward, rolled his ankle and fell down.

— Cincinnati.com, "Did Tony Finau hurt his ankle at the Masters 2018 Par-3 contest?," 4 Apr. 2018
Puerto Rico’s governor signed an education reform bill Thursday, March 29, 2018, to create charter schools and vouchers and help turn around a system long known for its bureaucracy and failure to administer dwindling resources.

— Washington Post, "Puerto Rico to create charter schools, award vouchers," 29 Mar. 2018
Mastrangelo hopes the new business will help turn around a city that has been struggling since the Shenango China dinnerware plant closed in the early 1990s.

— author: richard fausset, Anchorage Daily News, "A dying town needed a miracle. Marijuana came calling.," 29 Mar. 2018
In his two previous stops as a head coach, Dan Hurley helped turn around struggling programs.

— staff report, courant.com, "Dan Hurley Year-By-Year College Coaching Record," 22 Mar. 2018
The team, especially the seniors who helped turn around the program, is keenly aware of the giant step forward.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "After a slew of firsts in 2018, TCU aims for seconds and thirds in 2019 | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 18 Mar. 2018
McDonald’s chief executive officer Steve Easterbrook has been pushing initiatives that have helped turn around comparable sales, which rose 3.6 percent last year in the U.S.

— leslie patton, Philly.com, "McDonald's tech updates have some workers jumping ship," 13 Mar. 2018

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

First Known Use of turn around

1934

Financial Definition of TURNAROUND

turnaround

noun

What It Is

A turnaround occurs when a company takes successful steps to correct a period of deteriorating financial performance.

How It Works

To turn a business' financial results around, companies often obtain special financing for revitalization projects or hire managers with a proven track record of improving the financial results at struggling companies. Famous "turnaround" CEOs include Al "Chainsaw" Dunlap, who was hired in 1996 to turn Sunbeam around, or Jacques "The Knife" Nasser, who was tapped in 1999 to revitalize operations at Ford (NYSE: F).

Turnarounds frequently involve stabilizing the business and then cutting costs, reducing the workforce, selling superfluous assets, divesting entire divisions, retiring excess debt, and/or dramatically changing how the company markets or sells its products. In some cases, turnarounds also involve filing for bankruptcy in an effort to reduce/restructure heavy debt loads.

Why It Matters

Turnaround efforts can be risky and don't always end in success. According to a Harvard Business Review study, about 70% of all turnaround efforts fail. However, some companies -- like MCI and K-Mart -- have emerged from bankruptcy, addressed critical problems, and made gradual improvements.

By definition, companies in need of a turnaround have reported declining financial results, and many have seen their shares collapse as investors lost faith and sold their positions. As a result, companies seeking to turn around their operations often trade at a sharp discount. Such firms often capture the attention of value investors, particularly when there is a strong possibility that turnaround efforts are likely to deliver improved financial performance in the near future. In fact, the mere announcement that a company plans to engage in turnaround efforts often results in an increased stock price.

Source: Investing Answers

TURNAROUND Defined for English Language Learners

turnaround

noun

Definition of turnaround for English Language Learners

: the time it takes someone to receive, deal with, and return something
: the process of making something (such as an airplane) ready for use again after it has arrived at a place
: a complete change from a bad situation to a good situation, from one way of thinking to an opposite way of thinking, etc.