upturn

1 of 2

verb

up·​turn ˈəp-ˌtərn 

ˌəp-ˈtərn

upturned; upturning; upturns

transitive verb

1

: to turn up or over

2

: to direct upward

intransitive verb

: to turn upward

upturn

2 of 2

noun

up·​turn ˈəp-ˌtərn 

: an upward turn especially toward better conditions or higher prices

Synonyms

Verb

• rise
• climb
• ascend
• soar

Examples of upturn in a Sentence

Verb

at this point the road upturns steeply, the trees become scarcer, and the valley unfolds before you

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

And that means that vibe coding — as with any technology that suddenly shifts a good from scarcity to plenty — has the potential to upturn much of the core calculus, thinking and economics that underpin how and what companies currently do and build. —Gina Chua, semafor.com, 5 June 2025

Fiction, meanwhile, can upturn such collective attitudes by conveying the specificity of actual working lives and workplaces, recognizing that even the most monotonous labor can shape the self. —Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025

Noun

If the engines hold up for the rest of the season, Mercedes could be set for a dramatic upturn in form. —Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025

The latest upturn in the ratio of XLK to the SPX reflects outperformance while the market has rebounded. —Katie Stockton, CNBC, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1567, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1864, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upturn

• adjourn
• concern
• decern
• discern
• downturn
• extern
• heartburn
• interne
• nocturne
• return
• sunburn
• unworn

Kids Definition

upturn

1 of 2 verb

up·​turn ˈəp-ˌtərn 

ˌəp-ˈtərn

1

: to turn up or over

an upturned boat

2

: to turn or direct upward

upturned faces

upturn

2 of 2 noun

up·​turn ˈəp-ˌtərn 

: an upward turning (as toward better conditions or higher prices)