turn away

verb

turned away; turning away; turns away

transitive verb

1

a

: to refuse admittance or acceptance to

b

: to send away : reject, dismiss

c

: repel

2

: deflect sense 2, avert

intransitive verb

: to start to go away : depart

Synonyms of turn away

• repel
• turn back
• resist
• repulse
• fend (off)
• beat off
• stave off

Examples of turn away in a Sentence

using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid

Recent Examples on the Web

Bolstered by the early lead, Northland Pines goalie Everett Leslie turned away 24 shots. —Jim Hoehn, Twin Cities, 7 Mar. 2026

To fill the space, models are turning away from doomscrolling (there’s enough doom and gloom in the news right now) and toward novels. —Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026

Voting was extended in Dallas County and Williamson County, outside Austin, after voters reported being turned away and directed to different voting precincts because of new primary rules. —Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026

Some voters in Dallas County were turned away from the polls because of a change in where people could cast ballots on Election Day, but not enough to have altered the outcome. —Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for turn away

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

turn away

verb

: to refuse to let in : send away

all the seats were sold and a large crowd had to be turned away