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
Netanyahu is also in a diplomatic war with Joe Biden, and European leaders who expressed great sympathy after October 7 are now turning against what Israel’s been doing in Gaza.
—
Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Over the course of four episodes, each 30 minutes-long, the makers will try to answer one pressing question: Have fungi suddenly turned against humanity?
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Determined to consolidate his power, Abiy turned against those leaders, marginalizing some, detaining others, and using military repression against the guerillas of the Oromo Liberation Front.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The law allowing state control was approved in 1861 in an effort to prevent the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from turning against the Confederacy.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Essentially, two rotating cylinders with a total of 36 teeth turn against two combs to play a melody of 120 notes that resonate far outside the case.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024
Many figures who have stepped outside of Trump's orbit, like Griffin, have turned against him.
—David Bauder, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
Survival requires the fortitude to persevere when momentum turns against you and shots stop falling.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
Analysts, investors, some board members and even his predecessor, Howard L. Clark Sr., had turned against him.
—Robert D. Hershey Jr., New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024
Over the course of four episodes, each 30 minutes-long, the makers will try to answer one pressing question: Have fungi suddenly turned against humanity?
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Determined to consolidate his power, Abiy turned against those leaders, marginalizing some, detaining others, and using military repression against the guerillas of the Oromo Liberation Front.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The law allowing state control was approved in 1861 in an effort to prevent the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from turning against the Confederacy.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024
Essentially, two rotating cylinders with a total of 36 teeth turn against two combs to play a melody of 120 notes that resonate far outside the case.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024
Many figures who have stepped outside of Trump's orbit, like Griffin, have turned against him.
—David Bauder, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
Survival requires the fortitude to persevere when momentum turns against you and shots stop falling.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
Analysts, investors, some board members and even his predecessor, Howard L. Clark Sr., had turned against him.
—Robert D. Hershey Jr., New York Times, 18 Mar. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near turn against
Cite this Entry
“Turn against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20against. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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