take a turn for the better

verb

To start to become better; to improve.

Opposite
take a turn for the worse
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Meanings

verbtake a turn for the better (third-person singular simple present takes a turn for the better, present participle taking a turn for the better, simple past took a turn for the better, past participle taken a turn for the better)

present singular third person takes a turn for the better · participle present taking a turn for the better · past took a turn for the better · participle past taken a turn for the better

  1. idiomaticTo start to become better; to improve.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
take a turn for the worse

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 好轉 /好转
  • 好轉 /好转 (hǎozhuǎn)start to become better
Dutch beter gaan
  • beter gaanstart to become better
Finnish kääntyä paremmaksi
  • kääntyä paremmaksistart to become better
German sich zum Besseren wenden
  • sich zum Besseren wendenstart to become better
Japanese 好転する
  • 好転するstart to become better
Portuguese mudar para melhor
  • mudar para melhorstart to become better
Russian улучша́ться, улу́чшиться
  • улучша́ться (ulučšátʹsja)start to become better
  • улу́чшиться (ulúčšitʹsja)start to become better
Cite this entry
APA

take a turn for the better. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20better

MLA

“take a turn for the better.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20better. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take a turn for the better,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20better.

Source: take a turn for the better on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.