upturn
Americanverb (used with object)
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upturns,
present (3rd person singular)
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upturned,
past participle, past
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upturning
present participle
verb (used without object)
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upturns,
present (3rd person singular)
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upturned,
past participle, past
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upturning
present participle
noun
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chaos or extreme disorder, as in society; an upheaval.
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an upward turn, or a changing and rising movement, as in prices or business.
verb
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to turn or cause to turn up, over, or upside down
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(tr) to create disorder
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(tr) to direct upwards
noun
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an upward turn, trend, or improvement
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an upheaval or commotion
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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upturnsimple
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upturnssimple
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have upturnedperfect
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has upturnedperfect
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am upturningprogressive
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are upturningprogressive
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is upturningprogressive
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have been upturningperfect progressive
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has been upturningperfect progressive
Past
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upturnedsimple
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had upturnedperfect
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was upturningprogressive
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were upturningprogressive
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had been upturningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of upturn
Explanation
Use the noun upturn to describe an improvement, especially in finances or business. If your neighborhood ice cream man is smiling, it is probably because the hot summer weather this week has caused an upturn in his popsicle business. You're likely to come across the word upturn when you're reading the newspaper or watching TV news, at least if things are looking up, financially: "There are strong signs of an economic upturn."
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:
The BEA said the acceleration in GDP growth was driven by an increase in investment and an upturn in government spending, which were partially offset by a decrease in exports.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
“Many countries with limited exposure to the war shock and strong participation in the technology upturn are seeing activity hold up or strengthen,” the IMF said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
That could mean some of the industrial upturn that has helped the German economy might reverse in the second half of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
The lack of silverware is still apparent - but to reach either a semi-final or final in four of the last five major tournaments is a huge upturn in form.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Gosh a’mighty, I couldn’t hardly wait to upturn my dang nail keg!”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
James has been making content for almost six years, and he said he’s seen influencers come and go after market upturns and downturns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
The step up between the final months of 2025 and early 2026 was attributed to "upturns in government spending and exports and an acceleration in investment," while consumer spending decelerated.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
But even with the upturns among these students, their scores were sobering: 36.8% were proficient in English, 25% in math and 20.7% in science.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2024
As with previous upturns in Dubai, war is a driving force.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 13, 2023
He browses upon the lofty branches, upturns young trees from sheer malice, and from plain to forest he stalks majestically at break of day 'monarch of all he surveys.'
From The Rifle and the Hound in Ceylon by Sir Samuel White Baker
Yellow caution tape fluttered in the wind as water poured into a room strewn with wooden debris, an upturned refrigerator and a television.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
His patient Sheena Rao, a 44-year-old celebrity booker, paid $1,000 for injections to fill in a divot in the bridge of her nose and to give its tip a more upturned appearance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
"The family asked us to help via Facebook," said volunteer Charlotte Darribat, as she fed the reptile near upturned sunchairs and strewn clothes in the town of Lege-Cap-Ferret.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
"It's completely, in the greatest way possible, upturned everything that I know."
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
When the house had disappeared behind us, Emma held out an upturned palm, flicked her wrist, and a petite ball of fire flared to life just above her fingers.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
At tables favored by film executives, there is eye rolling and nose upturning about Silicon Valley’s push into entertainment: Apple is spending how much on Martin Scorsese’s next film?
From New York Times ● Jan. 4, 2022
It signaled an upturning of all known history.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 12, 2021
This virus is upturning nearly everything about how we live our lives.
From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2020
You may think you know, but “Bodyguard” is all about upturning those expectations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2018
It sliced through the prairie grass, upturning a two-foot ribbon of chocolate-colored earth.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
