1 B1 formal
To turn to face the opposite direction.
"The soldier turned about and marched back the way he had come."
inseparable
turn about
B2 formal inseparable transitive/intransitive
To face the opposite direction; to reverse one's position, opinion, or course of action.
In plain English
To turn to face the other way, or to completely change what you were doing or thinking.
What does "turn about" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic formal
To completely reverse one's opinion, decision, or course of action.
"The committee turned about and decided to approve the proposal after all."
inseparable
3 C1 formal
To take turns; to alternate between people or things.
"They turned about on the watch, each taking a two-hour shift."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rotate one's body so as to face in the opposite direction.
Actually means
To turn to face the other way, or to completely change what you were doing or thinking.
Usage tip
More formal or literary than 'turn around'. The expression 'turnabout is fair play' (meaning it is fair to do to others what they did to you) is a set phrase. In military usage, 'about turn!' is the command for a 180° rotation.
Words that pair with "turn about"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
direction policy opinion face heel course
How to conjugate "turn about"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
turn about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
turns about
he/she/it
Past simple
turned about
yesterday
Past participle
turned about
have + pp
-ing form
turning about
continuous
Hear "turn about" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "turn about" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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