heel turn

[heel turn]

noun

1. Professional Wrestling.,  a dramatic change of persona from a heroic face character to a villainous heel character.

2. a reversal of position or direction, especially a change in character or affiliation perceived as abandoning a righteous or heroic course in pursuit of an unscrupulous or villainous one.

   The governor’s heel turn on healthcare will harm his constituents while lining his re-election coffers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of heel turn¹

First recorded in 1895–1900 as a maneuver in skating; 1990–95 heel turn for def. 1 and 2010–15 heel turn for def. 2

Example Sentences

I’m also talking about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer literally hiding her face from photographers in the Oval Office, and about California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s dramatic heel turn, which this week included describing the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, as the “distraction of the day” compared to truly important things like whether Trump’s tariff policy is “accountable to the markets.”

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While surprising, Jordan’s heel turn is just one example of a larger trend of creators taking advantage of social media algorithms that reward sensationalism and fearmongering over facts.

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The LP turns out to be something of a heel turn; it’s got a proudly villainous energy as Swift embraces her messiest and most chaotic tendencies.

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In professional wrestling, they call this sort of manufactured misbehavior a heel turn.

Read more on New York Times

For some, his divorce and remarriage represented a heel turn.

Read more on New York Times