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
see also:
Examples of turn back in a Sentence
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
Recent Examples on the Web
Werenski was able to fight him off, turn back, and get off a sharp pass across the ice to Hughes, who was flying up the left side.
—
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Their discussion then turns back to the potential of a romance—and heartbreak—between them.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
William Johnston, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton, previously told USA TODAY that abstaining from eating meat is also a form of penance – admitting to any wrongdoings and sins while turning back to belief in God.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj detention camp, due to unspecified procedural problems.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turn back
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Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Their discussion then turns back to the potential of a romance—and heartbreak—between them.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
William Johnston, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton, previously told USA TODAY that abstaining from eating meat is also a form of penance – admitting to any wrongdoings and sins while turning back to belief in God.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj detention camp, due to unspecified procedural problems.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
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 23 Feb. 2026.
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