# reversal

/ɹiˈvɝsəɫ/ (US) · /ɹɪvˈɜːsəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reversal
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a change in direction or policy

noun · CEFR B2

a complete change in a situation, opinion, or way of doing things.

For teachers: a change to an opposite direction, position, or course of action.

- The government's sudden reversal on tax policy surprised many voters.
- The board's decision represented a dramatic reversal of the strategy they had pursued for the previous decade.

### 2. a change in fortune

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a change from being successful to having problems or losing money.

For teachers: a change from a state of prosperity or success to one of hardship or failure.

- The company suffered a major financial reversal after the new product failed.
- Despite several early reversals in his professional life, he eventually founded one of the most successful firms in the region.

### 3. overturning a legal decision

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

when a higher court decides that a previous legal decision was wrong.

For teachers: the act of an appellate court setting aside or overturning the decision of a lower court.

- The lawyer is confident that the case will end in a reversal of the original verdict.
- The supreme court's reversal of the lower court's ruling established a significant precedent for future privacy cases.

## Examples

- The team suffered a sudden reversal of fortune.
- The court's reversal of the previous ruling surprised many legal experts who expected the original decision to stand.
- Economists warned that without structural reforms, the recent gains in employment could face a sharp reversal if global trade tensions continue to escalate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.