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
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Recent Examples of volte-face
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
Read More: How Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Pushed Through Asia’s First Cannabis Legalization
Cannabis advocacy groups and businesses have voiced their opposition to the policy volte-face, staging rallies and threatening a legal challenge against the premier.
—Pathom Sangwongwanich / Bloomberg, TIME, 27 June 2024
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
Jordan’s participation signaled a kind of volte-face for a state that has been unsparing in its criticism of Israel’s six-month military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
The Brits demanded a volte-face, thought her European stylist Tati Cotliar, fashion director of riotous cool-girl mag Buffalo Zine.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024
But some are less positive about the apparent volte-face.
—WIRED, 6 Sep. 2023
By interring the theory, Chief Justice Roberts executed a transparent volte-face.
—Simon Lazarus, The New Republic, 16 Aug. 2023
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
Read More: How Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Pushed Through Asia’s First Cannabis Legalization
Cannabis advocacy groups and businesses have voiced their opposition to the policy volte-face, staging rallies and threatening a legal challenge against the premier.
—Pathom Sangwongwanich / Bloomberg, TIME, 27 June 2024
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
Jordan’s participation signaled a kind of volte-face for a state that has been unsparing in its criticism of Israel’s six-month military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024
The Brits demanded a volte-face, thought her European stylist Tati Cotliar, fashion director of riotous cool-girl mag Buffalo Zine.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024
But some are less positive about the apparent volte-face.
—WIRED, 6 Sep. 2023
By interring the theory, Chief Justice Roberts executed a transparent volte-face.
—Simon Lazarus, The New Republic, 16 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for volte-face
Noun
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Finally, Elon Musk’s DOGE activities brought its own host of circuit tests that generated smoke and reversals.—
Bruce Yandle,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2025
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In a reversal from the last two years, the base variant of the latest series, the iPhone 16, leads the chart, followed by the iPhone 16 Pro Max, 16 Pro, and iPhone 15.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The dispute involves the latest instance of the Trump Administration orchestrating a speedy and dramatic about-face by federal agencies on DEI policies, transgender rights and similar culture war issues.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
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The about-face came at the urging of a group of Democratic California lawmakers led by Sen. Adam Schiff, who decried plans from the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency to close USDA offices in Bakerserfield, Blythe, Los Angeles, Madera, Mt. Shasta, Oxnard, Salinas, Woodland and Yreka.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Volte-face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/volte-face. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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