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 2, 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

While goalie Abby Smith turned away a couple of Bay FC scoring opportunities, including sprinting out and sliding to deflect a potential goal out of bounds, Summit FC got on the board at the 19-minute mark. —Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026

Later, at the Drake Road entrance to the Jewish Community Center, not quite 1 mile south, a Farmington Hills police officer was turning away vehicles. —Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 13 Mar. 2026

Sustainability in focus Some clients are turning away from high-maintenance setups and instead leaning into sustainable options for their outdoor kitchens, says Daniel Germani, creative director of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens. —Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026

The patents were similarly denied and the Supreme Court turned away Thaler’s attempt to appeal a lower court’s ruling on the matter in 2023. —News Desk, Artforum, 11 Mar. 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