Meaning & use
plot twist in life
Last updated
Meanings
phrasecountablefigurativeinformal
an unexpected event or change in someone's real life, as if it were part of a story.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun phrase; you can say 'a plot twist in life' or 'plot twists in life'.
Patterns
- a plot twist in life
- plot twists in life
- have a plot twist in life
Losing my job turned out to be a strange plot twist in life that led to a better career.
She calls her move to another country the biggest plot twist in life she never expected.
We all get plot twists in life, like meeting an old friend in a random city.
phrasecountablehumorousinformal
a surprising turn of events in a person's life story, often used humorously.
Grammar: Often appears in the pattern 'what a plot twist in life' as an exclamation.
Patterns
- what a plot twist in life
- that was a plot twist in life
- life's plot twist
What a plot twist in life — I ran into my childhood teacher at the airport!
That was a plot twist in life: he became a chef after years as an accountant.
Life's plot twist brought them back together after ten years apart.
Common combinations
- a real plot twist in life
- Winning the lottery was a real plot twist in life.
- unexpected plot twist in life
- Her sudden fame was an unexpected plot twist in life.
- life's plot twist
- Life's plot twist made him a father at fifty.
- a plot twist in life story
- The reunion was a plot twist in his life story.
Synonyms and how they differ
- turn of events
- A turn of events is more neutral and formal; this phrase is playful and compares life to a story.
- surprise
- A surprise is any unexpected thing, while this phrase suggests a dramatic, story-like change.
- twist of fate
- Twist of fate often implies destiny or luck; this phrase is more about narrative surprise.
Word family
- plot twist noun
- a surprising change in a story
- plot noun
- the events of a story
- twist noun
- an unexpected change
Commonly confused: plot twist in life or plot twist?
plot twist in life vs plot twist
A plot twist is in a fictional story; this phrase applies the idea to real life.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'plot twist in life' naturally?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is a noun phrase; 'I didn't see coming' is a relative clause that needs no preposition. The other options add unnecessary prepositions that break the idiom 'see something coming'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plot twist in life”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.