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

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
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.
Police said in court records that at about 15 minutes after midnight on June 24, 2023, Morgan’s Toyota Camry ran through a red light while doing a U-turn on International Boulevard and 23rd Avenue, colliding into the Avalon. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024 Fathers running errands made U-turns to scoop us from seemingly ubiquitous rainstorms, while trailside bar owners treated us like Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay before offering to deliver us breakfast the next morning. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 24 Dec. 2024 The policy U-turn in Washington hits at the heart of the dilemma. Ellie Cook, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024 The coming, sudden U-turn in the policy output of the U.S. government is a reminder that elections have serious consequences in the short term. G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for U-turn 

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of U-turn was in 1906

Dictionary Entries Near U-turn

Cite this Entry

“U-turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/U-turn. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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