overturn

1 of 2

verb

over·​turn ˌō-vər-ˈtərn How to pronounce overturn (audio)
overturned; overturning; overturns

transitive verb

1
: to cause to turn over : upset
overturned the vase
2
a
: invalidate, destroy
the degree to which accident could overturn the schemes of wise menOscar Handlin
b
: reverse sense 2a
overturn a court ruling

intransitive verb

: upset, turn over
The car went off the road and overturned several times.

overturn

2 of 2

noun

over·​turn ˈō-vər-ˌtərn How to pronounce overturn (audio)
1
: the act of overturning : the state of being overturned
2
: the sinking of surface water and rise of bottom water in a lake or sea that results from changes in temperature that commonly occur in spring and fall

Examples of overturn in a Sentence

Verb The dog overturned the bowl. The truck went off the road and overturned several times. The court overturned his conviction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
One early query: Had Mr. Trump made incriminating statements during an Oval Office meeting in December 2020 when his team discussed overturning Mr. Biden’s electoral victory? Adam Goldman, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024 How the court responds to these cases, and others seeking to narrow or overturn the Hodes ruling, will be critical to the future of Kansas civil rights law. Katie Bernard, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 Oklahoma passed such a law in 2020 after judges overturned convictions in four cases involving informants. The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024 Defense lawyers have instead argued that the decision in the case was fundamentally flawed and is bound to be overturned on appeal. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024 These may allude to the White Russians that Trotsky had fought, preventing them from overturning the Russian Revolution. Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 The decision overturned a practice that had been in place since 2013, when UC first approved a data science course submitted by Los Angeles Unified School District as a move to expand math options for students. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 But then the case was reheard by the full federal appeals court, which overturned the panel ruling in October 2022. CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024 Her order seems to convey the same misunderstanding of the Presidential Records Act as when the 11th Circuit overturned her order for a third-party review of the records. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Noun
This group feels the overturn of Roe v. Wade was a good thing for the country. Jennifer De Pinto, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 In 2022, the company closed its second fund, bringing total assets under management to $43.5 million, with a significant portion raised post the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 The Dodge then struck the right side of the Jeep, causing the sport utility vehicle to veer off the road and overturn, according to reports. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2024 The decision came in what is believed to be the first such case since the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade. Abigail Wilpers, STAT, 13 Dec. 2023 When asked how the overturn of Roe V. Wade affects Black people specifically, Williams explains that the South is experiencing overwhelming restrictions. Essence, 30 Sep. 2023 Before the overturn of Roe, terminating pregnancies through this method accounted for around 5% of abortions (4,045 per month) but now has increased to 8% (6,950 per month). Breccan F. Thies, Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2023 The knowledge of the harm that is done by disregarding these urgent skills was known by a close friend of Reed who helped train them in preparation for the possible overturn of Roe V. Wade. Essence, 30 Sep. 2023 Abortions spiked in states neighboring or near those with restrictions after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study. Breccan F. Thies, Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overturn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overturn was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near overturn

Cite this Entry

“Overturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overturn. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overturn

verb
over·​turn
ˌō-vər-ˈtərn
1
: to turn over or upside down
waves overturned the boat
2
a
: invalidate, destroy
overturn the group's unity
b
: reverse entry 2 sense 2a
overturn the court's ruling
overturn
ˈō-vər-ˌtərn
noun

Legal Definition

overturn

transitive verb
over·​turn

More from Merriam-Webster on overturn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!