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 1, 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

Should Hilton prove to be successful and make it through the primary, Schnur does not believe his attacking Bianco will turn away any of the Riverside County sheriff’s Republican supporters in the fall. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 7 Feb. 2026

Censori stepped out of the limo, turned away from the cameras, and dropped her black Galliano fur to the floor to reveal herself in a nearly invisible mesh dress, sewn onto Censori by future Maison Margiela couturier Simon Carle. —Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026

Children get no more than an hour of daily instruction, and overcrowding means some are turned away. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026

On Wednesday, 15 patients from Gaza and 31 of their relatives were scheduled to cross to Egypt, but more than half of the group was turned away, said Raed al-Nims, a spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent Society. —Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

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