revolving door: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, Business/Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “revolving door” mean?
A circular door with three or four sections that rotates around a central axis, allowing people to pass through without a large exchange of air.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A circular door with three or four sections that rotates around a central axis, allowing people to pass through without a large exchange of air.
A situation characterised by a rapid and frequent exchange of personnel, membership, or roles, often seen as unproductive or indicative of instability.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term identically in literal and figurative senses. No significant linguistic differences.
Connotations
The figurative connotation of instability, inefficiency, or cronyism is equally strong in both cultures.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media, particularly in political journalism, but is standard in both.
Grammar
How to Use “revolving door” in a Sentence
the revolving door of + NOUN (staff, ministers)a revolving door between + NOUN PHRASE (X and Y)Subject + is/becomes/acts like a revolving doorVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “revolving door” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The revolving-door nature of the consultancy made long-term projects difficult.
American English
- He was part of a revolving-door policy between Wall Street and the Treasury.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise high employee turnover or the frequent exchange of executives between competing firms.
Academic
Used in sociology, political science, and business studies to describe institutional instability or conflicts of interest.
Everyday
Most commonly used in its literal sense; the figurative sense is understood from news/media.
Technical
In architecture/engineering, refers specifically to the type of entrance mechanism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “revolving door”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “revolving door”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “revolving door”
- Using 'revolving door' as a verb (e.g., 'He revolving-doored between jobs'). This is non-standard. Use as a noun only.
- Confusing it with a 'swing door' or 'sliding door'. A revolving door is specifically circular and rotating.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is written as two separate words ('revolving door'), though it functions as a single lexical unit (a compound noun).
Almost never. The figurative use inherently suggests instability, lack of commitment, or potential corruption. Even in a neutral description of a literal door, it's simply descriptive.
They are synonyms, but 'revolving door' is a more vivid, metaphorical idiom often used for effect in journalism. 'High turnover' is a more standard, neutral business term.
Use it attributively before a noun, often with a hyphen when it precedes the noun (e.g., 'a revolving-door policy', 'revolving-door appointments').
A circular door with three or four sections that rotates around a central axis, allowing people to pass through without a large exchange of air.
Revolving door is usually informal, business/journalistic in register.
Revolving door: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˌvɒlvɪŋ ˈdɔː(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˌvɑːlvɪŋ ˈdɔːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a revolving door at that company.”
- “The department has become a revolving door.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a government building where politicians spin in through a revolving door, work for a week, and spin right back out to a lobbying firm. The 'revolving' action pictures the constant, circular movement of people.
Conceptual Metaphor
AN INSTITUTION IS A CIRCULAR DOOR. / RAPID CHANGE IS CIRCULAR MOTION.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'revolving door' used figuratively?