Word
overturn
Phoneticsover·turn
US/ˈoʊvɝˌtɝn/
UK/ˌəʊvətˈɜːn/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a decision by a court or authority to cancel a previous rule or judgment. It means the old decision is no longer valid and has been replaced.
n. the invalidation or reversal of a previous legal decision, ruling, or precedent by a higher authority. Often used in the context of appellate courts or legislative bodies.
Examples
“The court announced the overturn of the previous ruling.”
“Legal experts were surprised by the sudden overturn of the environmental law by the supreme court.”
“The unexpected overturn of the lower court's decision sent shockwaves through the legal community, effectively reversing decades of established judicial precedent regarding property rights.”
Examples
simple
“The court announced the overturn of the previous ruling.”
contextual
“Legal experts were surprised by the sudden overturn of the environmental law by the supreme court.”
complex
“The unexpected overturn of the lower court's decision sent shockwaves through the legal community, effectively reversing decades of established judicial precedent regarding property rights.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “overturn” in context.
Verb
01. lead to an overturn
“The discovery of procedural errors could lead to an overturn of the original ruling.”
verb + prep + noun
02. seek an overturn
“The defense team is planning to seek an overturn of the conviction based on new evidence.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. dramatic overturn
“The Supreme Court's decision was a dramatic overturn of decades of legal precedent.”
adj + noun
04. sudden overturn
“The sudden overturn of the policy caught many local businesses off guard.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. overturn of a ban
“The overturn of the ban on imports allowed the market to stabilize quickly.”
noun + of + noun
06. overturn of the verdict
“Public protests followed the unexpected overturn of the verdict by the appeals court.”
noun + of + noun
Usage
Commonly used in legal and political contexts; often followed by the preposition 'of'.
Real-World Examples
“A man who killed his wife and refuses to reveal where her body is cannot be freed from prison, after the High Court overturned the Parole Board's decision to release him.” “In June, South Africa’s supreme court of appeal ruled in favour of Lungu’s family, overturning a previous high court decision in favour of the government.” “The discovery could overturn how scientists interpret ancient infections and complicate the long-running mystery of syphilis’s origins.” “A crew member told the national broadcaster ZBC that there were 153 people onboard when the ferry overturned on Tuesday after it hit large waves.” Etymology
From Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
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englishreference.com/q/overturn