turnover

American  

[turn-oh-ver] / ˈtɜrnˌoʊ vər /

noun

• turnovers
  plural

1. an act or result of turning over; upset.

2. change or movement of people, as tenants or customers, in, out, or through a place.

   The restaurant did a lively business and had a rapid turnover.

3. the aggregate of worker replacements in a given period in a given business or industry.

4. the ratio of the labor turnover to the average number of employees in a given period.

5. the total amount of business done in a given time.

6. the rate at which items are sold, especially with reference to the depletion of stock and replacement of inventory.

   Things are slow now, but they expect an increased turnover next month.

7. the number of times that capital is invested and reinvested in a line of merchandise during a specified period of time.

8. the turning over of the capital or stock of goods involved in a particular transaction or course of business.

9. the rate of processing or the amount of material that has undergone a particular process in a given period of time, as in manufacturing.

10. a change from one position, opinion, etc., to another, often to one that is opposed to that previously held.

11. a reorganization of a political organization, business, etc., especially one involving a change or shift of personnel.

12. a baked or deep-fried pastry with a sweet or savory filling in which half the dough is turned over the filling and the edges sealed to form a semicircle or triangle.

13. Basketball, Football. the loss of possession of the ball to the opponents, through misplays or infractions of the rules.

---

adjective

1. that is or may be turned over.

2. having a part that turns over, as a collar.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• turnovers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of turnover

First recorded in 1605–15; noun use of verb phrase turn over

Explanation

When workers leave their jobs and are replaced by other workers, that's turnover. A totally different kind of turnover is a delicious baked good with a sweet filling. If an economist is talking about turnover, she probably means the rate at which a business loses employees, or how many jobs they have to fill over the course of a year. If that same economist is placing an order at a bakery, she may instead mean the flaky, triangle-shaped pastry that's wrapped around a fruit filling. In the work world, having a lot of turnover is a negative thing. In the pastry world, a high rate of turnovers doesn't sound bad at all.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turnover turnovers

Inside Bessent’s Treasury: tension, turnover and unmet economic goals.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

After stopping the Eagles and forcing a turnover on downs, the Rams’ offense suddenly sprang to life with two touchdown drives spanning 177 yards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Add in the energy and bravery of Jac Morgan, typically topping the turnover and tackle charts, Freddie Thomas's industry and Will Trenholm's old-school go-forward and there is a foundation there to build on.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

All of which raises a question for Quenneville and the Ducks coming off a summer of upheaval and turnover: What can they do for an encore?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

But there’s another noteworthy shift in these lists: a very quick rate of turnover.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

In all, Manning’s turnovers led directly to 10 Sooner points.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

While McVay enjoyed watching Kyren Williams rush for two touchdowns and receiver Puka Nacua rush for another, the Rams had to overcome turnovers, penalties and special teams miscues to improve to 2-2.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

During Maye’s sensational 2025, he demonstrated two traits that made his game appear mature beyond his years: his ability to avoid turnovers and his touch on deep passes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

After having only 11 turnovers last year, he already has seven this season after another three against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he was benched as the Jags romped to a 35-6 home win.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

I try to get the ball to Hakim next, but I make another bad pass and suddenly I have two turnovers and four missed shots in a row.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

Related Words

• coup
• innovation
• insurgency
• mutiny
• rebellion
• revolt
• shift
• strike
• transformation
• turmoil
• unrest
• upheaval
• uprising
• violence