turn against

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
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.
Meanwhile, the country is turning against immigration, which has accounted for the vast majority of population growth in the United States in recent years. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 In 2020 billionaire Peter Thiel warned that people with no stake in the capitalist system may turn against it. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 Even where data centers are proceeding at a robust clip and creating the most jobs public opinion has turned against them. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 In his last start, a four-inning turn against the Brewers, Gausman allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn against

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20against. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster