What does overturn mean?
Overturn means to reverse, invalidate, or completely upset something that had been established. A court may overturn a conviction, an appellate body may overturn a ruling, and a political upheaval may overturn a government. The word can also describe physical movement: a boat overturns when it rolls onto its side or capsizes, while a vehicle may overturn after a collision. As a noun, an overturn refers either to the reversal of a decision or order or to the overthrow of an authority. Its force comes from the completeness of the change it implies: the former decision, position, or power is not merely modified but displaced. Although “overturn” is widely used in formal legal and political language, it is also natural in general descriptions of accidents, disputes, and unexpected reversals. It is a strong, clear word for circumstances in which an accepted outcome or balance of power is reversed.
To reverse a decision, ruling, or established order; to overthrow an authority; or to cause something to turn over or capsize.
"The appellate panel overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial."
The legal and political senses are formal but broadly understood. The verb can be transitive or intransitive, as in “the boat overturned.”
A reversal of an earlier decision or established order, or the act of overthrowing a government, institution, or authority.
"The decision was a major constitutional overturn with wide-ranging consequences."
The institutional sense is especially associated with political or legal upheaval.
Used for separate reversals or instances of overthrowing an authority.
"The two political overturns transformed the country's institutions."
From literally turning something upside down to reversing a court's decision, overturn always describes a complete reversal.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of overturn
Overturn is an English compound formed from the prefix “over-” and the word “turn.” The prefix comes from Germanic elements meaning “above” or “beyond,” while “turn” has Old English and French antecedents associated with Latin tornare. Early uses referred to turning something over or reversing its position, and the institutional meaning developed naturally from the idea of reversing an established authority. Words such as “tour,” “tornado,” and “tournament” preserve relationships to the same Latin and French verbal tradition.
Related word forms
How overturn is actually used
The word is neutral in register but is especially common in legal, political, and institutional contexts. In those settings, it usually implies a formal reversal or displacement of authority rather than a temporary disturbance.
Easily confused with overturn
To overrule is to use superior authority to reject another person's decision, whereas to overturn is to reverse a decision, ruling, or established order.