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

Journalists for the outlets were turned away from the White House over the weekend. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Other businesses joined the suit, saying the strong smell not only triggered allergic reactions but turned away customers. — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2026

Three weeks earlier 10 Black students, escorted by local ministers past hundreds of white protesters, were turned away by the Arkansas National Guard—at the behest of the state’s governor, Orval Faubus. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Sep. 2026

Reporters for all three publications were turned away from the White House complex on Saturday morning. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for turn away

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• 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