turn the tables

Cultural  

1. To reverse a situation and gain the upper hand: “After trailing the entire first quarter, the team rallied and finally turned the tables.”

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turn the tables Idioms  

1. Reverse a situation and gain the upper hand, as in Steffi won their previous three matches but today Mary turned the tables and prevailed. This expression alludes to the former practice of reversing the table or board in games such as chess, thereby switching the opponents' positions. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turn the tables

Websites like DeFlock, FlockHopper and HaveIBeenFlocked purport to turn the tables on Flock by posting camera locations and helping residents elude them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Luckily, Attia claims, “changing how we exercise, what we eat, and how we sleep”—that is, following the regimen Outlive sells—“can completely turn the tables in our favor.”

From Slate ● Feb. 26, 2026

“I said, ‘I’m going to turn the tables and surprise them,’” she revealed.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 6, 2026

England attack coach and former scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth highlighted Dupont's ability to turn the tables on a defence, launching attacks when apparently close to losing possession and territory, as one of his greatest assets.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025

Sometimes he could even turn the tables and bend ghosts to his will.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• alter
• annul
• dismantle
• invalidate
• lift
• modify
• nullify
• overrule
• overturn
• quash
• repeal
• rescind
• revoke
• set aside
• undo