turnabout
Americannoun
-
the act of turning in a different or opposite direction.
-
a change of opinion, loyalty, etc.
-
a reciprocal action; act of doing to someone exactly as that person has done to oneself or another.
Turnabout is fair play.
-
a person who changes things; a radical.
-
Chiefly British. merry-go-round.
noun
-
the act of turning so as to face a different direction
-
a change or reversal of opinion, attitude, etc
Etymology
Origin of turnabout
First recorded in 1590–1600; noun use of verb phrase turn about
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company’s turnabout moved Goldman Sachs to raise the stock to a Buy from a Hold last week, while upping its price target to $80 from $64.
From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025
The turnabout has been particularly stark with stocks and digital tokens with direct associations to the president and his family.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025
Having been preoccupied with saving a season, Skipper acknowledged being blissfully unaware of any narratives about who’s done what to spark his team’s turnabout.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025
After a turnabout in fortunes in the city, New York real-estate titans are now slobbering over the chance to tear down the Roosevelt and convert it into a luxury skyscraper.
From Slate • Jul. 17, 2025
Her classmates congregated at the gazebo at its center and used the square as a turnabout when they cruised the main drag, ending up at the Walmart parking lot.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.