turnabout

noun

turn·​about ˈtərn-ə-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce turnabout (audio)
Synonyms of turnaboutnext
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

Synonyms of turnabout

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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 on the Web
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.
The turnabout in the market has been swift for prospective buyers. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026 In a turnabout-is-fair-play moment, a Sparty fan showed during a break of the Wolverines’ game was treated with equal disdain. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 That turnabout changed the mood almost immediately. — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 The turnabout is particularly evident in the tech sector, where five-day in-office weeks are now commonplace. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turnabout

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of turnabout was in 1710

Phrases Containing turnabout

Rhymes for turnabout

See All Rhymes for turnabout

Browse Nearby Words

turn a blind eye
turnabout
turnabout is fair play
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turnabout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turnabout. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

turnabout

noun
turn·​about ˈtər-nə-ˌbau̇t How to pronounce turnabout (audio)
: a change from one direction or one way of thinking or acting to the opposite

More from Merriam-Webster on turnabout

Nglish: Translation of turnabout for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All