RE-VERSAL Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

reversal

noun

ri-ˈvər-səl

Definition of reversal

as in reverse

a change in status for the worse usually temporarily the company's long-term strategy is sound, and they should be able to weather this latest reversal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

status quo

as in turnaround

a changing from one policy or point of view to virtually its exact opposite parents need to be consistent in their discipline policy, as reversals will only undermine the whole process

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of reversal Tight end Greg Dulcich played 49 offensive snaps and rookie Will Kacmarek 25 — a reversal of the previous week, when Kacmarek played slightly more. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 This marks a reversal for the court, which for years has declined to consider such challenges. — Robert Spitzer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 The president, who generally resists admitting fault, has recently made several reversals responding to ethical concerns. — Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026 The decision marks a dramatic reversal, after Ethiopian and Eritrean forces united in fighting the TPLF during the previous conflict. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reversal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reversal

Noun

San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel took the ball from quarterback Brock Purdy but then flipped it to Jacob Cowing on a reverse.

— Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026
Freeman slid a clever reverse pass into Reyna’s path, and Reyna’s cross was spilled by Rangel, right into the path of Hall for a tap-in.

— Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of reverse

Noun

The closure marks a quick turnaround for the highway district.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026
The Atlanta Dream will take the court this weekend for their first WNBA Finals game in 13 years, a pinnacle achievement for the franchise with the lowest valuation in the league still undergoing a massive turnaround.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of turnaround

Noun

Enjoy, and see you soon… Argenx disclosed that its blockbuster drug Vyvgart failed to outperform placebo in a Phase 3 trial of patients with Sjögren’s disease, a chronic autoimmune disorder, marking an unusual setback for the company, STAT says.

— Ed Silverman, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
As the cystic fibrosis community gathers this week in Atlanta for its largest annual gathering, Kramer-Golinkoff is hoping those patients will be a big part of the conversation, particularly after recent scientific setbacks.

— Gerry Smith, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of setback

Noun

Add the no-camping turnabout to a list of political issues on which Raman took one position only to later shift her stance — or in some cases, reverse it completely.

— David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Naturally, Rebecca and Higgins beat Zelda at her own game with a bit of turnabout involving her assistant, leaving a 49-49 percent split between the two women.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of turnabout

Noun

Love was unclear on the reasons for her volte-face, but speculated that Sky had failed to convince Bake Off stars like Paul Hollywood to make the switch.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
The volte-face in transfer strategy is not necessarily negative.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of volte-face

Noun

Bearish analysts at Bank of America did an about-face on Salesforce — jumping over to the believers camp, where Jim Cramer has been all along in the face of artificial intelligence threats.

— Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
The move was an about-face from December when city leaders approved a rezoning to allow a computing campus that developers later proposed would be more than twice the floor space of Buckhead’s Lenox Square mall.

— Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of about-face

Noun

At first, it’s seen in Soulan’s hesitation at accepting children from other villages to his class — then in his rage at his mother for feeding guests at the potential expense of the children’s meals.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
The new work is a radical take on aging and femininity, an uncut hit of Cindy Sherman—despite, or maybe even because of, her initial hesitation.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitation

Browse Nearby Words

revering

reversal

reversals

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Style

“Reversal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reversal. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of reversal

noun

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