U-turn
Americannoun
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U-turns
plural
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a U -shaped turn made by a vehicle so as to head in the opposite direction from its original course.
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a reversal of policy, tactics, or the like, resembling such a maneuver.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a turn made by a vehicle in the shape of a U, resulting in a reversal of direction
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a complete change in direction of political or other policy
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of U-turn
First recorded in 1925–30
Vocabulary lists containing u-turn
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.
See Examples For:
MPs on the Treasury Committee called for a U-turn on that decision as part of a series of recommendations after an inquiry this summer.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
They made a U-turn after hearing someone yell Tupac’s name and seeing the BMW he was traveling in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Three hours into the tour, investigators alleged Hernandez-Umana attempted to speed through swell during a U-turn and swamped the bow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
It is not yet clear what has prompted Mali's U-turn.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
After barreling down the highway, he made a screeching U-turn, with us kids feeling like the car was going to tumble over on its side, but the squad car made one, too.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
So far, at least seven oil tankers have made U-turns close to Yemen since the embargo.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Ship-tracking data shows at least eight ships bound for the Red Sea have made U-turns instead of entering the Bab al-Mandab Strait from the south as well.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Starmer, under pressure for months over policy U-turns and questions about his judgement, announced on June 22 that he was resigning after losing the support of Labour MPs.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
To visit by car, you’ve got to take the expressway south to an easy-to-miss exit and make two quick U-turns down to the riverbank.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
With every step, frantic golden arrows appeared beneath his feet, bending into U-turns on the floor.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
