turn against
phrasal verb
turned against; turning against; turns against
1
: to stop supporting or being friendly to (someone or something)
The senator eventually turned against the war.
She turned against her best friend.
2
: to cause (someone) to stop being friendly toward (someone)
He tried to turn our friends against us.
3
: to use (something) in a way that harms or discredits (someone)
Her political opponent tried to turn her many years of experience in Washington against her.
Examples of turn against in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, the army’s most powerful creation — the Rapid Support Forces, a successor to the infamous Janjaweed militias that terrorized Darfur in the 2000s — has turned against the military and brought its trademark havoc to the capital.
—
Declan Walsh Ivor Prickett, New York Times, 5 June 2024
Many had braced for a hung jury — which happens if jurors fail to unanimously agree on a verdict — given the likelihood that at least one person on the panel would refuse to turn against the Republican presidential candidate.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
Even some of Karamo’s own supporters turned against her.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 22 May 2024
There’s no stuffing AI back inside Pandora’s box—but the world’s largest AI companies are voluntarily working with governments to address the biggest fears around the technology and calm concerns that unchecked AI development could lead to sci-fi scenarios where the AI turns against its creators.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 21 May 2024
Threat From the Inside In the West Bank, a new generation of ultranationalists has taken an even more radical turn against the very notion of a democratic Israeli state.
—Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, 16 May 2024
Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a member of the ruling Council of Regents who must fight for his survival when the political tides turn against him.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 May 2024
Lee was heading north on Culver approaching Trabuco at about 4:30 p.m. and appeared to swerve and lose control of the car when the driver of a Honda Civic made a right turn against a red from Trabuco to north Culver, according to police.
—City News Service, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
The public hasn’t known them long enough to turn against them.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 5 May 2024
Declan Walsh Ivor Prickett, New York Times, 5 June 2024
Many had braced for a hung jury — which happens if jurors fail to unanimously agree on a verdict — given the likelihood that at least one person on the panel would refuse to turn against the Republican presidential candidate.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024
Even some of Karamo’s own supporters turned against her.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 22 May 2024
There’s no stuffing AI back inside Pandora’s box—but the world’s largest AI companies are voluntarily working with governments to address the biggest fears around the technology and calm concerns that unchecked AI development could lead to sci-fi scenarios where the AI turns against its creators.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 21 May 2024
Threat From the Inside In the West Bank, a new generation of ultranationalists has taken an even more radical turn against the very notion of a democratic Israeli state.
—Mark Mazzetti, New York Times, 16 May 2024
Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a member of the ruling Council of Regents who must fight for his survival when the political tides turn against him.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 May 2024
Lee was heading north on Culver approaching Trabuco at about 4:30 p.m. and appeared to swerve and lose control of the car when the driver of a Honda Civic made a right turn against a red from Trabuco to north Culver, according to police.
—City News Service, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
The public hasn’t known them long enough to turn against them.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 5 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turn against.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Turn against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20against. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.
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