Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

reversal

 noun
     
re‧vers‧al
1 [uncountable and countable] a change to an opposite arrangement, process, or way of doing something [↪ turnaround]
reversal of/in
a sudden reversal of government policy
dramatic/sudden/complete reversal
a dramatic reversal in population decline
Some Internet firms have suffered a painful reversal of fortune (=they were successful but now they are not).
Some carers and dependants find it difficult to adapt to a role reversal.
2 [countable] a failure or other problem that prevents you from being able to do what you want:
In spite of setbacks and reversals, his business was at last making money.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary