1
: a 180° turn to the right from the position of attention
2
: a reversal of direction
3
: a reversal of attitude, behavior, or point of view
about-face intransitive verb

Examples of about-face in a Sentence

the candidate's frequent about-faces on issues disturbs many voters
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The president-elect's support for the widely popular app is an about-face from his first term in office. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025 The Nasdaq was being hit the hardest in Tuesday’s about-face. Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2025 Nothing captured this flexibility more than Reagan’s about-face from brinkmanship to détente with Gorbachev. Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025 The conciliatory stance was an about-face for a company that previously had intensely resisted the campaign to organize its workers. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for about-face 

Word History

Etymology

from the imperative phrase about face, from about entry 1 + face entry 2

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of about-face was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near about-face

Cite this Entry

“About-face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/about-face. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

about-face

noun
ə-ˈbau̇t-ˈfās
1
: a reversal of direction
2
: a reversal of attitude or point of view
about-face verb

More from Merriam-Webster on about-face

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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