overturned; overturning; overturns
Synonyms of overturnnext

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 men …—Oscar Handlin
b
: reverse sense 2a
overturn a court ruling

intransitive verb

: upset, turn over
The car went off the road and overturned several times.
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
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.
Verb
This caused the boat to overturn, sending everyone into the water. — David Goodhue october 12, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 The databases used to check citizenship against voter registration lists can be outdated, said Freda Levenson, legal director of the ACLU of Ohio, which has sued to overturn the law. — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
Transparency and public disclosure of denial and overturn rates would be helpful in eliminating these unnecessary reviews. — Matt Soper, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2026 Outfielder Chandler Simpson had issued only four challenges through Tuesday, none of which resulted in an overturn. — Abby Disalvo, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overturn

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overturn. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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
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