Turn the tables
/tɜːn ðə ˈteɪblz/informalUK · US
What does “Turn the tables” mean?
Turn the tables means to reverse a situation so that you gain the advantage
A team can turn the tables by coming back to beat an opponent. In an interview, the person answering questions might start asking difficult ones instead.
A change alone is not enough. The phrase usually involves a reversal in who has power or the advantage.
When do people say it?
Use it when someone who was losing, being questioned or being controlled gains the stronger position.
“After two defeats, we turned the tables and beat them in the final.”
Is it formal or informal?
Register: informal. It is most at home in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Most common in UK and US.
Where does it come from?
The image is of the positions in a contest being reversed. The person who had the advantage now faces the other side’s pressure.
Origin confidence: Disputed; treat with caution
How do you say “Turn the tables” in other languages?
Related idioms
- Flip the script, to change the usual approach or reverse expected roles
Last updated 2026-10-01