Thesaurus results for ABOUT-TURN

about-turn

noun

ə-ˈbau̇t-ˈtərn

Definition of about-turn

British

as in reversal

a changing from one policy or point of view to virtually its exact opposite more than one London newspaper accused the prime minister of doing an about-turn on the issue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of about-turn First, a dramatic about-turn by the United States. — Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025 The revelations represent a stunning about-turn in a case for which Azevedo had yet to appear in court to face felony charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and lying to a government agency, which could carry up to 20 years on the most serious count. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025 Also on March 10, a federal judge ruled that the department is required to make its records public, an about-turn for the agency that has been mired in secrecy, according to Forbes. — Sam Gillette, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025 Under Leahy’s watch, Glossier launched at Sephora in February 2023, marking an about-turn from its prior DTC strategy and adopting a more traditional retail playbook. — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for about-turn

Recent Examples of Synonyms for about-turn

Noun

The reversal underscores how quickly the calculations of Asia’s wealthy can change.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
The rebound marked a sharp reversal from the crypto downturn that began last October.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of reversal

Browse Nearby Words

about-facing

about-turn

about-turns

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“About-turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/about-turn. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of about-turn

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes