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, avert

intransitive verb

: to start to go away : depart

Synonyms

• beat off
• fend (off)
• rebut
• repel
• repulse
• stave off
• turn back

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

More than 95 people were turned away from voting in town elections due to the new documentation law, according to research from the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights, a subsidiary of the progressive group America Votes. —Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

The fact that Gautreau’s head was turned away from the viewer in Sargent’s portrait only enhanced the sense of her haughtiness. —Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025

Meanwhile, on the other end of the age spectrum, many Boomers still want to work but are often turned away, not because of lack of ability or interest, but due to persistent age discrimination that limits their opportunities. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

As more people unlock the side benefits of clean tech, consumer-level demand for appliances, cars, and power plants that do more with less will pick up, speeding up the turn away from fossil fuels. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for turn away

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