turn the tables

1. To reverse a situation and gain the upper hand: “After trailing the entire first quarter, the team rallied and finally turned the tables.”

Idioms and Phrases

Reverse a situation and gain the upper hand, as in Steffi won their previous three matches but today Mary turned the tables and prevailed . This expression alludes to the former practice of reversing the table or board in games such as chess, thereby switching the opponents' positions. [c. 1600]

Example Sentences

Trump won the election despite being a convicted felon with multiple criminal cases pending against him, and after having promised to use the Justice Department to turn the tables and go after his political foes.

From Los Angeles Times

After Biden's gaffe, the Trump campaign was eager to turn the tables on Democrats for once.

From Salon

Her campaign has turned the tables and trolled the bully, such as going after his trepidation to debate her by painting Trump as fearful of the vice president.

From Los Angeles Times

“Blackthorne turning the tables on this adversarial priest is his greatest triumph in the series. The manipulation of language is, in effect, the central preoccupation of our show. Words matter.”

From Los Angeles Times

Democrats are now trying to turn the tables, calling out Trump allies who have proposed cuts to the F.B.I., the Justice Department and funding for the special counsel prosecuting the former president, Jack Smith.

From New York Times

Related Words

• alter
• annul
• dismantle
• invalidate
• lift
• modify
• nullify
• overrule
• overturn
• quash
• repeal
• rescind
• revoke
• set aside
• undo