turn 1 of 2

Definition of turnnext
1
as in to rotate
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis turned the doorknob as quietly as possible

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2
as in to swing
to change the course or direction of (something) the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill

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3
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction we turned left at the light the storm unexpectedly turned south and missed our area

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4
as in to become
to eventually have as a state or quality will turn 12 in six months

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as in to depend
to be determined by, based on, or subject (to) what we do next turns on your answer to the following question

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8
as in to spin
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around all the new information made his head turn

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9
as in to persuade
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife

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turn

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noun

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5
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication

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6
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group between the show's two major musical acts, there was a short turn by a juggling troupe

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of turn
Verb
Do not turn one delay into a disaster. Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026 Will this turn into a tragic mistake Daemon soon regrets? Jennifer Maas, Variety, 29 June 2026
Noun
Byron used and abused all kinds of sources—classical, vernacular English, vernacular Italian—and was in turn recycled by others both during his lifetime and after his death. Clare Bucknell, The New York Review of Books, 27 June 2026 Things took a turn immediately. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • The rotating door of managers in Queens spins once again.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
  • Nobody expected that the Feeneys would go on for half a century, but every winter and spring that passed, the team would be back on the diamond, albeit with a rotating cast.
    Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Any behavior requires a coordinated action across the brain—swing a baseball bat, complete a math problem—and the more the action is repeated, the more the associated neural pathways will strengthen.
    James Davis, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Ryan returned the favor in the fourth, getting Dalton Rushing, Freeland and Ohtani to all swing and miss.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The final point is that markets often deviate from rewarding the long-term drivers of stock performance, like valuation and quality, which makes sticking with a winning formula very difficult.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • The one state that deviated from this was Kentucky, which chose red velvet as its favorite cake.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • With his second-half goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Panama, Kane became England’s all-time leading scorer at the World Cup.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
  • During the last homestand, the day after the bottom of the order struck out consecutively with the bases loaded in what became a walk-off win against the Baltimore Orioles, Roberts called over Ryan Ward and Alex Freeland in the dugout during batting practice.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • And for those who don't own a home — or who prefer not to borrow against it — personal loans can provide a more affordable alternative to revolving credit card debt, particularly for borrowers with strong credit.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • Instead of getting a lump sum, a HELOC offers a revolving line of credit that can be used as needed during a borrowing period, usually five to 10 years.
    Kevin Cerveny, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Plunkett, with the Norman Rockwell Museum, pondered whether Americans viewing the painting today would find a familiar feeling.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Season 2 continues this thread, and Hely pondered the sense of exhaustion about living in this corporate world.
    Kambole Campbell, Variety, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • From there, the workup depends on what a doctor finds.
    Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online depending on local jurisdiction.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The rotating door of managers in Queens spins once again.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
  • The first permanent cotton-spinning mill was established in Pawtucket, Rhode Island dating back to 1790.
    Timothy Templet, Fortune, 27 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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