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Glite Dictionary
to turn one's life around

to turn one's life around

33 4.0
To make big positive changes in your life after hard times
  • idiom
translation icon : cambiar de vida
  • Everyone here had 40 days to get sober and turn their lives around or they would be sent to jail.

Examples

  • Look, I've worked very hard to turn my life around in a very short amount of time.

    Smosh: The Movie (2015)

  • But the recovering alcoholic turned his life around and is eager to spread his positive message to the masses.

    Blog text (16)

  • I promise you that all of you guys can turn your life around.

    Mountain Top (2017)

  • What can you do right now to begin to turn your life around?

    The Secret (2006)

  • The church folks talked in the paper about how he had turned his life around, how he found God in prison.

    Brigham City (2001)

  • The government had numerous opportunities to help him turn his life around but failed him.

    Blog text (8)

  • Even after so many years, it's hard, but I turned my life around.

    Blog text (31)

  • But Drew was determined to turn her life around.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Since then, I've completely turned my life around.

    Blog text (26)

  • After struggling with addiction, he finally decided to turn his life around and pursue a healthier lifestyle.

Synonyms

to turn around
vsto turn one's life around
157 3.2

To make someone or something better after a bad time

means larger, life-wide positive change rather than just recovery
to start a new life
vsto turn one's life around
25 3.5

To begin living in a very different place or way after a big change

focuses on positive life course change rather than only starting over
to turn the corner
vsto turn one's life around
14 4.2

To begin to get better after a difficult time

means making major, lasting positive changes throughout life
to go from zero to hero
vsto turn one's life around
  • Informal
7.4

To become successful and respected after being unknown or unsuccessful

describes wider life improvement, not only sudden public success

Antonyms

to decline
344 3.7

To become less over time, for example in value or health

to remain stagnant
1 5.8

To stay the same without improving

How Transformed

reinvention
13 4.6
to turn one's life around
33 4.0

Surface Forms

turn one's life around infinitive
turned one's life around past
turned one's life around past participle
turning one's life around present participle
turns one's life around third person singular

Morphology

turn + one + life + around

The parts 'turn' (change) + 'life' + 'around' (reverse direction) compose a clear metaphor of reversing the course of one's life, so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer it means making a major change. However, the conventional evaluative nuance (typically improvement) and the fixed collocation 'turn one's life around' are somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable from the words alone, so prior exposure helps.

Etymology

The phrase turn one's life around paints a simple picture: imagine walking the wrong way on a path, then turning around to walk in a new direction and change your life. That's why it means 'to make big positive changes in your life after trouble'.