1. a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in a literary work
Usage: literary

Examples

• The hero’s peripeteia came when he discovered his trusted advisor was the real villain.
• Shakespeare’s tragedies often feature a dramatic peripeteia in the final act.
• The novel’s peripeteia transformed the protagonist from wealthy heir to penniless wanderer.
• Critics praised the film’s unexpected peripeteia that completely changed the audience’s understanding.
• The peripeteia in the story occurs when the detective realizes he has been chasing the wrong suspect.
• Ancient Greek dramas typically included a peripeteia to heighten dramatic tension.