inverted

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Turned so that the top is at the bottom, or arranged in the opposite order or direction from what is normal.

   Grammar: Usually sits before the noun: an inverted cup, not 'the cup is very inverted'.

   Patterns

   • an inverted something
   • turned inverted

   She left the glasses inverted on the rack so they could drain overnight.

   The logo shows an inverted triangle with a small circle at its tip.

   On the chart, the inverted curve showed that short-term rates had risen above long-term ones.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Describing a sentence or clause in which the usual order of subject and verb is switched, as in questions or after certain adverbs.

   Grammar: Used about word order: an inverted sentence puts the verb or auxiliary before the subject.

   Patterns

   • inverted word order
   • an inverted question

   'Never have I seen such a mess' is an inverted sentence because have comes before I.

   Our teacher asked us to underline the inverted verb in each example.

   Poets often choose inverted word order to make a line sound more dramatic.

Common combinations

inverted commas

Put the exact words in inverted commas when you quote the speaker.

inverted word order

Questions in English use inverted word order: 'Are you ready?'

inverted yield curve

Analysts watched the inverted yield curve for signs of a slowdown.

inverted triangle

The warning sign was an inverted triangle with a red border.

inverted image

A simple lens produces an inverted image on the screen.

Synonyms and how they differ

upside-down

Upside-down is the everyday word for something with its top at the bottom, while inverted is more formal and also covers reversed order.

reversed

Reversed suggests a flip in direction or sequence in general, whereas inverted usually implies flipping top to bottom or switching two positions.

overturned

Overturned suggests something has been tipped over, often by accident, while inverted can describe a deliberate or fixed arrangement.

transposed

Transposed means two items have swapped places, which is narrower than inverted and used for letters, notes or numbers.

Opposites

Word family

invert verb

to turn something upside down or reverse its order

inversion noun

the act or result of turning something upside down or reversing it

invertible adjective

able to be inverted or reversed

invertebrate noun

an animal without a backbone (a different word with a shared look)

Commonly confused: inverted or inverse? inverted or introverted?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “inverted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words