turn around

To move yourself or something so that it faces a different direction, often the opposite one.

• Turn around and look at me.
• We turned the car around and drove home.
• Why did he turn around at the door?

How to use it: turn around (Turn around and look behind you.); turn something around (She turned the chair around to face the window.)

Similar words: turn, reverse direction

Common phrases: turn around slowly, turn around completely, turn around something

To change a failing situation into a successful one.

• The team turned the game around.
• A new manager helped turn around the business.
• Can we turn this situation around before it is too late?

How to use it: turn something around (The new coach turned the team’s season around.); turn around (After months of losses, the business began to turn around.)

Similar words: rescue, revive, improve

Common phrases: turn around something, turn around businesses

To change something greatly, often to the opposite of what it was before.

• That experience turned my life around.
• He turned his position around and now supports the plan.
• Could better education turn these attitudes around?

How to use it: turn something around (The experience turned her whole outlook around.)

Similar words: transform, reverse, change radically

Common phrases: turn around something, turn around completely

To suddenly say or do something different from what you said or did before.

• She agreed, then turned around and refused.
• He supported me yesterday but turned around and criticized me today.
• How can you turn around and blame us after approving the plan?

How to use it: turn around and do something (He offered to help, then turned around and refused.)

Similar words: change course, reverse oneself

Common phrases: turn around suddenly, turn around later

To look at a question or situation from a different point of view.

• Let us turn the question around.
• She turned the argument around to show another point of view.
• Can you turn this problem around and consider it from their side?

How to use it: turn something around (Turn the question around and consider what the customer needs.)

Similar words: reframe, reconsider

Common phrases: turn around something, turn around arguments

To make or finish a number of products or pieces of work, usually within a particular time.

• We can turn around fifty orders today.
• The factory turned around a thousand units last week.
• How quickly can you turn around these reports?

How to use it: turn around something in/by… (Our team can turn around these orders in two days.)

Similar words: produce, complete

Common phrases: turn around orders, turn around products