turn of the century

Idioms

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.

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.

Chinese oil stocks and storage capacity went through major growth spurts at the turn of the century, and then again after the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

From Barron's

Those who have been around long enough say some of the enthusiasm feels like the dot-com boom and bust of the turn of the century.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, there was much optimism at the turn of the century that famine could be made “history.”

From Salon

It seems like the only choice a legacy company had at the turn of the century was to create more content and become irresistible.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the turn of the century, employment in manufacturing expanded rapidly, largely in urban areas and locations near the Great Lakes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023