turn back
verb
turned back; turning back; turns back
1
a
: to go in the reverse direction
b
: to stop going forward
2
: to refer to an earlier time or place
1
: to drive back or away
2
: to stop the advance of
3
: to fold back
Examples of turn back in a Sentence
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
Recent Examples on the Web
When one fan stood on the other side of the table, awkwardly hoping to get Cyrus’ attention, the Grammy winner briefly smiled for the photo with the fan and then turned back to Campbell to continue their conversation, prompting the fan to quietly walk away.
—
Charna Flam, People.com, 25 June 2025
On Sunday, two supertankers—each carrying up to 2 million barrels—turned back in the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of commercial shipping being targeted, Bloomberg reported.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Temperatures will slowly start to ease on Wednesday, especially for some in the Midwest and New England, but Thursday will mark the true turn back toward more normal June warmth for many in the eastern half of the country.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Surprisingly, Koné put up the kind of performance that turned back the clock.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn back
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Charna Flam, People.com, 25 June 2025
On Sunday, two supertankers—each carrying up to 2 million barrels—turned back in the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of commercial shipping being targeted, Bloomberg reported.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Temperatures will slowly start to ease on Wednesday, especially for some in the Midwest and New England, but Thursday will mark the true turn back toward more normal June warmth for many in the eastern half of the country.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Surprisingly, Koné put up the kind of performance that turned back the clock.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn back
Cite this Entry
“Turn back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20back. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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