topsy-turvy

1 of 3

adverb

top·​sy-tur·​vy ˌtäp-sē-ˈtər-vē How to pronounce topsy-turvy (audio)
1
: in utter confusion or disorder
2
: with the top or head downward : upside down

topsy-turvy

2 of 3

adjective

: turned topsy-turvy : totally disordered
topsy-turvily adverb
topsy-turvydom noun

topsy-turvy

3 of 3

noun

Examples of topsy-turvy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
On one hand, Modesto Christian was the model of consistency in a topsy-turvy sport, reaching the semifinals in each of its nine Open Division appearances. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 And the wave of millennials now trying to buy could contribute to a topsy-turvy housing market for years to come. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 But a day after getting thumped, 5-1, by the Kings, the last-place team in the Metropolitan Division stormed out of the gates in the third period, scoring three again to close its last Golden State trip of the season with a topsy-turvy 7-4 victory. Josh Gross, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 If the schedule wasn’t topsy-turvy enough, NASCAR ran its Xfinity Series race about an hour after the 500 on Monday before an ever-diminishing crowd. Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 One noteworthy issue that underlies the problem is that trying to explore online for relevant legal materials while seated in a courtroom and faced with a ticking clock amidst a topsy-turvy legally rapidly evolving environment is not easy. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 The weather has reverted to that bland meteorological perfection endemic to Los Angeles, despite a morning that was topsy-turvy, bringing down a small tree in Stewart’s yard. Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024 In another topsy-turvy college basketball game, the Knights did just that, upending the Jayhawks 65-60 on Wednesday night. Philip Rossman-Reich, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Here, music is a way of communicating the topsy-turvy logic of a long night and its sloppy seductions. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Noun
Within that film’s topsy-turvy multiverse, Quan was by turns a laundromat owner on the verge of divorcing his wife, a dashing romantic lead and an action hero. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023 Pinsker’s characters always make the best of tricky situations, which only makes their struggles in her topsy-turvy worlds more heartbreaking. Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2023 Her child was topsy-turvy all over the back seat with her shoes leaving marks on my back window. Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 7 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'topsy-turvy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

probably ultimately from tops (plural of top entry 1) + obsolete English terve to turn upside down

First Known Use

Adverb

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1612, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1655, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of topsy-turvy was in 1528

Dictionary Entries Near topsy-turvy

Cite this Entry

“Topsy-turvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topsy-turvy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

topsy-turvy

adverb
top·​sy-tur·​vy
ˌtäp-sē-ˈtər-vē
topsy-turvy adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on topsy-turvy

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