volte-face

noun

ˌvȯlt-ˈfäs How to pronounce volte-face (audio)
Definition of volte-facenext
as in reversal
a changing from one policy or point of view to virtually its exact opposite the novelist's unexpected volte-face from experimentalism to traditional narrative form

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of volte-face The Kremlin has denied any such request was made, which tells you something about how Moscow views the optics of this diplomatic volte-face. — Bobby Ghosh, Time, 22 Dec. 2025 Britain is not the only country pressed into making a volte-face. — London Business School, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 The realities of Putin’s momentum, coupled with Washington’s volte-face, have led to a clear mood shift in Kyiv. — Daryna Mayer, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2025 The policy volte-face is another blow to Thailand’s nascent cannabis industry after decriminalization was pitched as a way to boost agricultural income and wellness tourism. — TIME, 10 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for volte-face
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volte-face
  1. reversal
  2. about-face
Noun
  • Behind the numbers One factor behind the decline in overdose deaths may be wider availability of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Herzog’s fiction narratives haven’t been nearly as successful as his documentaries for some time now, which is a reversal from the early years.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of reversal
Noun
  • One of the most notable about-faces on screens is a new initiative from American Airlines.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Slowly, the buck did an about-face and headed down the treeline, looking back only once before disappearing.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of about-face

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volleys
volte-face
volte-faces
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“Volte-face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volte-face. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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