turn of the century

Idioms  

1. The beginning or end of a particular century, as in That idiom dates from the turn of the century, that is to say, about 1900. This expression was first recorded in 1926.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turn of the century

That’s the highest number since 1991, and more cases in just the past two years than in every previous year since the turn of the century combined.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

By the turn of the century, Shanxi's coal industry was making enormous profits because demand was soaring - but there was a human cost.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

Waves of xenophobia had swept the nation at the turn of the century following a massive surge of immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe.

From Salon ● May 26, 2026

Rebooting those series represents the "cultural centrality to television that was made before the turn of the century and even into the new century," Thompson said.

From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026

Among the many honors he’d received were the five Game Designer of the Year awards he’d won back around the turn of the century.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline