1 A2 neutral
To rotate one's body or an object so as to face or move in the opposite direction.
"She turned around when she heard her name being called."
inseparable
turn around
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To rotate to face the opposite direction; to reverse a negative situation; to process and complete something.
In plain English
To face the other way, make a bad situation better, or finish and return something quickly.
What does "turn around" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To transform a failing or negative situation into a successful or positive one.
"The new CEO managed to turn the company around within two years."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To process, complete, or deliver something within a particular period of time.
"We can usually turn around a translation in 24 hours."
separable
4 B1 idiomatic informal
(informal) To change one's position, decision, or opinion, often unexpectedly.
"He turned around and said he had never agreed to the plan."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rotate one's body 180° to face the opposite way.
Actually means
To face the other way, make a bad situation better, or finish and return something quickly.
Usage tip
Extremely versatile. In business, a 'turnaround' (noun) is a reversal from poor to good performance. In logistics, 'turnaround time' means how long something takes to be processed and returned. In everyday speech, 'turn around and do something' can express surprise at someone's sudden action.
Words that pair with "turn around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
business company situation order time economy
How to conjugate "turn around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
turn around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
turns around
he/she/it
Past simple
turned around
yesterday
Past participle
turned around
have + pp
-ing form
turning around
continuous
Hear "turn around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "turn around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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