↩️ To turn around 🔄 To change direction

to execute a U-turn

5.3

Change a plan or decision so the opposite happens

idiom

Literature

: dar un giro en U

The government executed a U-turn on its immigration policy after widespread protests.

Examples

After customer complaints, the company is executing a U-turn on the planned fee increases.
Critics said the mayor executed a U-turn when he suddenly supported the development project.
The government decided to execute a U-turn on its tax policy.
After much criticism, they executed a U-turn on the new regulations.
The government executed a U-turn on its immigration policy after widespread protests.
After customer complaints, the company is executing a U-turn on the planned fee increases.
Critics said the mayor executed a U-turn when he suddenly supported the development project.

Synonyms

to turn around

vsto execute a U-turn

384 2.0

To move your body to face the opposite direction or change your attitude

is a figurative political or policy reversal focused on undoing prior promises

to come around

vsto execute a U-turn

81 4.1

To change your mind and accept something you first refused

means a clear switch that undoes earlier stated policy positions rather than slow change

to reverse course

vsto execute a U-turn

12 5.5

To change a decision or plan and go in a different direction

involves reversing a previously announced policy rather than minor adjustments

to turn (something) on its head

vsto execute a U-turn

Informal

12 6.5

Make people see something in a very different way

is about directly reversing an announced plan rather than rethinking an idea

to tack

vsto execute a U-turn

Literature

8 7.3

Change a plan or policy quickly to follow a different idea

is a figurative u-turn that specifically undoes earlier promises or plans

to do a 180

vsto execute a U-turn

Informal

4 6.8

To completely change your opinion or decision

is the act of completely undoing a prior announced policy

to do an about-face

vsto execute a U-turn

Informal

3 6.6

To suddenly change your opinion or plan to the opposite

is the same sudden flip but framed as a deliberate course reversal

to turn on one's head

vsto execute a U-turn

Informal

1 7.1

Completely change what people think about something

is a reversal that specifically undoes a previously announced decision or stance

to row back on

vsto execute a U-turn

1 7.9

To change an earlier decision or statement because of pressure

is a general reversal that may be voluntary rather than forced by pressure

Antonyms

to stick to the plan

21 3.0

Continue doing what everyone agreed without changing it

How Reversed

to execute a U-turn

Literature

5.3

to reverse

Formal

109 4.9

to backtrack

42 4.3

to soften

49 3.3

Surface Forms

execute a U-turn infinitive

executed a U-turn past

executed a U-turn past participle

executing a U-turn present participle

executes a U-turn third person singular

Morphology

execute + a + U-turn

The phrase combines 'execute' (carry out) with 'U-turn' (a complete reversal of direction), so the figurative meaning 'carry out a reversal of policy/stance' is directly inferable from the parts. This physical-to-abstract mapping (reverse direction → reverse decision) is a common, cross-linguistic metaphor, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to understand it.

Etymology

Execute a U-turn is also used about decisions; one simple picture is a car turning around—when a person executes a U-turn, they reverse a choice and do the opposite, so the phrase means 'to change course and do the opposite'.