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
When the fandom turns against Halo and a scandal threatens his standing, Minnie takes it upon herself to save him.
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Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
As the villagers turn against their budding friendship, Kellou must stand up for Aya and face the hostility of her own people, while fighting to hold on to her freedom.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
Is humanity worth saving when it's turned against nature and would rather repeat past cycles of violence on a distant moon than learn from its mistakes?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
The series — described as a sci-fi epic centered on a humanoid species that turns against its creators — was then pitched to studios for additional funding, eventually receiving an initial $44 million investment from Netflix.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn against
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Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
As the villagers turn against their budding friendship, Kellou must stand up for Aya and face the hostility of her own people, while fighting to hold on to her freedom.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
Is humanity worth saving when it's turned against nature and would rather repeat past cycles of violence on a distant moon than learn from its mistakes?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
The series — described as a sci-fi epic centered on a humanoid species that turns against its creators — was then pitched to studios for additional funding, eventually receiving an initial $44 million investment from Netflix.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn against
Cite this Entry
“Turn against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20against. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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