turnover

1 of 3

noun

turn·​over ˈtərn-ˌō-vər 

1

a(1)

: the amount received in sales for a stated period

(2)

: the ratio of sales for a stated period to average inventory

(3)

: a cycle of purchase, sale, and replacement of a stock of goods

b

: the number of persons hired within a period to replace those leaving or dropped from a workforce

also : the ratio of this number to the number in the average force maintained

c

: movement (as of goods or people) into, through, and out of a place

2

: the amount of business done

especially : the volume of shares traded on a stock exchange

3

: the act or an instance of a team's losing possession of a ball through error or a minor violation of the rules (as in basketball or football)

4

: a filled pastry made by folding half of the crust over the other half

5

: an act or result of turning over : upset

6

: a turning from one side, place, or direction to its opposite : shift, reversal

7

: a reorganization with a view to a shift in personnel : shake-up

8

: something that is turned over

9

: the continuous process of loss and replacement of a constituent (such as a cell or tissue) of a living system

turnover

2 of 3

adjective

: capable of being turned over

turn over

3 of 3

verb

turned over; turning over; turns over

transitive verb

1

a

: to turn from an upright position : overturn

b

: rotate

turn over a stiff valve with a wrench

also : to cause (an internal combustion engine) to begin firing

2

: deliver, surrender

I'm turning the job over to you

also : to lose possession of

turned the ball over three times

3

a

: to do business to the amount of

turning over $1000 a week

b

: to receive and dispose of (a stock of merchandise)

4

: to search (clothes, papers, etc.) by lifting or moving one by one

5

: to read or examine (something, such as a book) slowly or idly

intransitive verb

1

: upset, capsize

2

a

: rotate

b

of an engine : to have crankshaft rotation especially by external means (as by a starter)

the engine turned over but didn't start

3

a

of one's stomach : to heave with nausea

b

of one's heart : to seem to leap or lurch convulsively with sudden fright

Phrases

turn over a new leaf

: to make a change for the better especially in one's way of living

Synonyms

Verb

• cede
• cough up
• deliver
• give up
• hand over
• lay down
• relinquish
• render
• surrender
• turn in
• yield

Examples of turnover in a Sentence

Noun

The company had an increase in turnover this quarter.

The company has a high turnover rate.

We want to find ways to speed up inventory turnover.

Verb

reluctantly turned the ship over to the first mate while he went below to try to stop the leak

turned the evidence over to the police

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Improving staff turnover The change at Pollo Campero will also improve the staff’s work life, the company said. —Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024

This season, Irving is averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds while averaging a career-low 1.8 turnovers per game. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2024

The game was ugly, with thirty turnovers between the two teams, including several at key moments—plus questionable officiating and a level of physicality that seemed on the edge of chaos. —Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024

And layoffs are rising, according to job openings and labor turnover data the BLS released Tuesday. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

The first half was eerily symmetrical; both teams committed 11 turnovers and shot 19-for-45 from the floor. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024

The Lakers’ 14 second-half turnovers, including 11 in the third, also helped the Nets get back in the game. —Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 31 Mar. 2024

Over the past few years, turnover in district administrators has nearly doubled. —Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024

Phoenix’s turnover issues, which Gerald Bourguet recently dissected, have interfered with their offensive flow in tight games. —Shane Young, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

Verb

Jordan and Comer have threatened to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt if the department doesn’t turn over the audio recordings, but Uriarte said the GOP lawmakers’ anger is unfair, given how much material from the Hur investigation has already been given to them. —Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024

The division turned over $32.5 billion in fiscal 2023, accounting for about a third of the company’s overall revenue, according to company filings. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024

Moores had the good sense to turn over the franchise reins to Larry. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024

When this happens, banks turn over unclaimed property to the state, which holds onto the funds until an owner steps forward. —Daryl James, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024

The city’s police department has turned over the investigation to the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Bogen said. —Antonio Planas, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2024

Faced with the prospect of turning over information that could be used against her at trial, former gubernatorial and current U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake is seeking to forfeit her ability to defend herself in court in an ongoing defamation case. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024

Riley Strain:Preliminary autopsy results reveal death to be 'accidental,' police say One snake turned over to wildlife department The search took place Friday at a rural property in Goble, an unincorporated community 40 miles north of Portland. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024

Two months after Trump was indicted last year, prosecutors turned over 3 million pages of documents, beginning the discovery process in which prosecutors share with the defense evidence obtained during their investigation. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Adjective

1605, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

turnover

1 of 2 noun

turn·​over

ˈtər-ˌnō-vər

1

: an act or the action of turning over

2

: a filled pastry with one half of the crust turned over the other

3

a

: movement (as of people) into, through, and out of a place

b

: the purchase, sale, and replacement of a stock of goods (as in a store)

c

: the number of persons hired to replace those leaving

turn over

2 of 2 verb

ˌtər-ˈnō-vər,

ˈtər-

1

: to shift in position from upright to upside down

2

a

: to give to another to take care of : hand over

b

: to lose possession of

turned the ball over three times

3

of one's stomach : to feel sick

4

: to begin or cause to begin to run

turned over the engine

Medical Definition

turnover

noun

turn·​over ˈtər-ˌnō-vər 

: the continuous process of loss and replacement of a constituent (as a neurotransmitter, cell, or tissue) of a living system

protein turnover in various pathological states

—J. C. Waterlow

hyperthyroidism accelerates bone turnover and shortens the normal bone remodeling cycle

—Richard Sadovsky