U-turn

noun

ˈyü-ˌtərn 

1

: a turn resembling the letter U

especially : a 180-degree turn made by a vehicle in a road

2

: something (such as a reversal of policy) resembling a U-turn

Synonyms

• about-face
• about-turn [British]
• flip-flop
• reversal
• turnabout
• turnaround
• volte-face

Examples of U-turn in a Sentence

an abrupt U-turn of her support for the candidate after hearing the news of his misdeeds

Recent Examples on the Web

Activist investor Follow This, meanwhile, recently pushed for investors to vote against Lund’s reappointment as chair at BP’s April 17 shareholder meeting in protest over the firm’s recent strategy U-turn. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025

However, after just two races of the 2025 season, Red Bull made a U-turn on its decision and demoted Lawson back to Racing Bulls, while Tsunoda was promoted alongside Verstappen. —Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025

In response, the driver abruptly made a U-turn in the grassy area off the right shoulder, the trooper’s dashboard camera footage shows. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2025

The Economist: Zelensky, Trump and Putin may all have done a U-turn on elections in Ukraine. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for U-turn

• adjourn
• concern
• decern
• discern
• downturn
• extern
• heartburn
• interne
• nocturne
• return
• sunburn
• unworn