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turn the tide

to reverse a trend

In Headline Expressions

In more detail

(idiom) to change a bad situation so that it becomes favorable; to reverse the course of events when things were going wrong

Examples

• The team was losing badly, but a good substitution helped turn the tide and they won the match.
• The new marketing campaign turned the tide for the struggling business.

How to use turn the tide

This idiom is used when a situation that was deteriorating or unfavorable begins to improve or swing in one's favor. It often describes pivotal moments in conflicts, competitions, or difficulties. The phrase is more figurative and dramatic than neutral alternatives like 'improve' or 'get better.'

Common phrases

• turn the tide of
• turn the tide against
• turn the tide in favor of
• help turn the tide
• manage to turn the tide

Synonyms

reverse the situation · change the course of events · turn things around · shift the balance

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse this with 'stem the tide' (to resist or slow down a negative trend) rather than reverse it completely; 'turn the tide' specifically means to reverse course, not merely to slow progress.

Nearby in Headline Expressions

a shot across the bow, a band-aid solution, weather the storm, on the chopping block, a lightning rod, a political football

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained