Meaning & use
turning point
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Meanings
nouncountable
A time when events begin to move in a clearly new direction, often changing the final result.
Grammar: Usually takes an or the and is followed by in or of: a turning point in history.
Patterns
- a turning point in something
- the turning point of something
- mark a turning point
Winning the scholarship was the turning point in her life.
The battle proved to be the turning point of the war.
Looking back, that argument was the turning point in our friendship.
nouncountabletechnical
The place or moment at which a trend such as rising or falling reverses.
Grammar: Used in economics, statistics and science: the turning point in the curve.
Patterns
- the turning point of something
Economists believe the market has reached a turning point.
On the graph, the turning point is where the curve starts to fall.
Word forms
| plural | turning points |
|---|
Common combinations
- a major turning point
- Moving abroad was a major turning point for him.
- mark a turning point
- The new law marks a turning point for the industry.
- reach a turning point
- The talks have reached a turning point.
- a decisive turning point
- The goal was the decisive turning point of the match.
- a turning point in history
- The printing press was a turning point in history.
Synonyms and how they differ
- watershed
- Watershed suggests a moment so important that everything is clearly divided into before and after, and is more dramatic.
- crossroads
- A crossroads is a moment when a choice must be made, while a turning point is the moment the change happens.
- landmark
- Landmark describes an important event, but it does not necessarily involve a change of direction.
- milestone
- A milestone marks progress along a path, but does not alter its course, unlike a turning point.
Word family
- turn verb
- to change direction
- turn noun
- a change of direction
- turnaround noun
- a complete change from bad to good
- pivotal adjective
- extremely important to what follows
Commonly confused: turning point or tipping point?
turning point vs tipping point
A tipping point is the moment when a small change causes a large, often unstoppable effect, while a turning point is when the direction changes.
Practice
Meeting the coach was the ____ in her career, because from then on she began to win.
Choose one answer.
A turning point is a moment of decisive change. The other phrases are not standard expressions for a career-changing moment.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “turning point”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.