reversal
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
A change to an opposite direction, position, decision, or state.
The act of officially cancelling or invalidating a decision, judgment, or trend.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a complete 180-degree change, a turnabout. Can refer to physical direction, legal judgments, or metaphorical trends.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling and grammatical usage are identical.
Connotations
Equally formal and used in similar contexts (legal, economic, general).
Frequency
Slightly more common in US legal and sports contexts, but overall frequency is comparable.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reversal of [trend/decision/judgment/policy]reversal in [fortune/direction/position]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a reversal of fortune”
- “a complete role reversal”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A reversal in market trends led to significant losses.
Academic
The study noted a reversal in the previously observed correlation.
Everyday
Doing all the cooking was a real role reversal for us.
Technical
The appellate court ordered a reversal of the lower court's verdict.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The High Court reversed the ruling.
American English
- The Appeals Court reversed the judgment.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard. 'Reversely' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.)
American English
- (Not standard. 'Reversely' is extremely rare and non-idiomatic.)
adjective
British English
- He applied the handbrake in the reversal manoeuvre.
American English
- She suffered a reversal injury in the crash.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The car made a reversal in the driveway.
- There was a sudden reversal in the weather, and it started snowing.
- The company's unexpected reversal of its hiring freeze delighted employees.
- The judge's ruling constituted a stunning reversal of longstanding legal precedent.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of REVERSAL as REVERSE + AL. It's the action (the '-al' suffix) of reversing something.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIRECTIONAL CHANGE IS A REVERSAL (e.g., 'a reversal of policy'), FORTUNE IS A PATH (e.g., 'a reversal of fortune').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'реверс' (технический термин для заднего хода). Use 'разворот', 'отмена', 'перемена' depending on context.
- Not synonymous with 'возвращение' (return).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He made a reversal on his promise.' Correct: 'He reversed his promise.' or 'He made a reversal *of* his position.'
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'reversal' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Reverse' is primarily a verb or adjective. 'Reversal' is the noun form meaning the act or instance of reversing.
Yes. While often negative (reversal of fortune), it can be positive (reversal of a bad policy, reversal of a disease's progression).
'Reversal' is a noun describing an event/act. 'Revert' is a verb meaning to return to a previous state. 'The system reverted to its old settings' vs. 'The court ordered a reversal of the policy.'
Yes, it's a common collocation meaning two people swapping their typical roles or behaviours.
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